These words are comparable in their denotation of a feeling of displeasure directed at the cause of some real or imagined wrong or injury. Resentment and offence are the terms referring to the strongest emotions characterized by this group. Resentment describes a sense of grievance which is internal and suggests a persistent or recurrent brooding over injuries rather than a sudden outburst of passionate anger. Offence designates a state of hurt feelings less extreme than resentment and without the strong sense of grievance implicit in that word. These is also in offence no suggestion of a long-felt emotion but rather one that is transitory because less serious.

• She cherished a deep resentment towards her employer for having denied her a promotion; reporters and photographers alike took great offence at the rude way the star behaved during his interview.

Pique , which comes from a French word meaning to prick or sting, denotes a sudden feeling of mingled pain and anger that is usually slight and transient. Pique often arises from wounded vanity or sensitivity: leaving the party in a pique because of an imagined slight on the part of her hostess. Umbrage is a deeper and more persistent displeasure at being ignored or overshadowed or subjected to any treatment that one deems discourteous or disrespectful: to take umbrage at the criticism levelled against him because he thought it unfair and belittling. Huff is very much like pique in suggesting a petty, usually passing, sense of injury because of a blow to one’s pride: in a huff because his boss had upbraided him in front of his secretary.