The Collaborative International Dictionary
Transgress \Trans*gress"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Transgressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Transgressing.] [Cf. F. transgresser. See Transgression.]
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To pass over or beyond; to surpass. [R.]
Surpassing common faith, transgressing nature's law.
--Dryden. -
Hence, to overpass, as any prescribed as the ?imit of duty; to break or violate, as a law, civil or moral.
For man will hearken to his glozing lies, And easily transgress the sole command.
--Milton. -
To offend against; to vex. [Obs.]
Why give you peace to this imperate beast That hath so long transgressed you ?
--Beau. & Fl.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of transgress English)
Usage examples of "transgressing".
In transgressing the law of Nature, the offender declares himself to live by another rule than that of reason and common equity, which is that measure God has set to the actions of men for their mutual security, and so he becomes dangerous to mankind.
This constrained them to come unto laws wherein all men might see their duty beforehand, and know the penalties of transgressing them.
For the father having, by the law of Nature, the same power, with every man else, to punish, as he thought fit, any offences against that law, might thereby punish his transgressing children, even when they were men, and out of their pupilage.
She was no more transgressing any natural law in eating the flesh of the Va-gas than do we, eating the flesh of cattle.
The more I analyzed the thing, the more it seemed to me that we humans of the earth were more surely transgressing a natural law by devouring our domestic animals, many of which we learned to love, than were the U-ga of Va-nah in devouring the flesh of their four-footed foes, the Va-gas.