What do you call an action that is less serious than a "crime" (that is not illegal, just against rules)?

Question

Example sentence:

Dying your hair pink is a __ in secondary school.

I thought of words like "offense" and "misdeed," but they don't ring quite right.

Answer 1

It depends on the context. If you are talking about any kind of official disciplinary system with rules and punishments, then any of these may work: infraction, violation, transgression, breach, contravention and various others. In this case, for example:

Dying your hair pink is a serious transgression of school policy.

You can also say the action itself is banned, restricted, prohibited, forbidden, barred, or simply not allowed.

Dying your hair pink is against school policy.

If instead you are talking about something that goes against social or moral norms, you could use (with varying degrees of severity): taboo, anathema, frowned on, proscribed, off limits, no-no, unmentionable, abomination, faux pas and others:

Smoking in restaurants, which once was common practice, is now practically a hanging offense in many parts of the United States.

(edit) These terms cover a wide range of severity. As mentioned in the comments, "transgression" is pretty serious, while "against the rules" is fairly mild. Please provide more details about how "bad" you want it to sound, and I can be more specific.

Answer 2

Infraction could work here. An infraction can refer to a crime but it is a very minor one that would generally only result in a fine.

Answer 3

If it's not actually breaking any rules but is simply a social "miscue," it would be considered a faux pas:

[Merriam-Webster]

: BLUNDER

• Long, hot soaks in winter are a classic faux pas, since exposure to extreme heat after having been in the cold can cause small visible blood vessels to appear at the skin's surface. —Elle

especially : a social blunder

• . . . when I sauntered into the main dining room for my first breakfast, I realized I was the only person showing his legs. Careless faux pas, or was I being overly sensitive to the local culture? —David Swanson

• Campaigning last year seemed to convince her that she can venture out alone without making costly faux pas. —Time Magazine

• It was not until I'd covered about fifty kilometers that I committed my most terrible social faux pas yet: I overtook another cyclist. —Polly Evans

Arriving too early would be a serious faux pas.
according to an oft-told story, the queen set a guest at ease about a faux pas by politely imitating it

Answer 4

If it's not really against the rules, or even if it is but it's not something that would get you expelled, you could just call it a

no no

which kind of implies it's socially unacceptable [even if only to the teachers, not the pupils.]

As to 'talking down' as mentioned in comments [which i really don't understand], if someone were to say, "Can I bring my dog in the shop? He won't be any nuisance." then the answer could easily be, "I'm sorry, that's a no no. I'm afraid we don't allow it, except guide dogs."
If you did, I doubt anyone would call the police. I doubt it's even actually illegal, but it's certainly socially unacceptable.

'Violation' isn't used for anything so minor in the UK, it sounds a bit like you'd be in handcuffs for it.
"Violation of human rights" or other similar legalese, would be a predominant use for it in the UK.
Violations are committed against you, not by you.

Answer 5

Misdemeanor

A minor wrongdoing.
"The player can expect a lengthy suspension for his latest misdemeanor"

A misdemeanor is against written rules, but not quite bad enough to be a crime.

Answer 6

In many areas of the United States, this will be characterised as a violation. Often, what it is a violation of will be specified; for example, dyeing one’s hair pink is often a violation of the school dress code; dropping trash on the street is a violation of sanitation regulations, and so on.

Answer 7

peccadillo Plural: peccadillos (seems to be preferred by some) or peccadilloes

Merriam Webster definition: a slight offense

Slang: a no-no

A few examples from the press:

Payback Pecadillos + The New York Times

Hanging It Out in Public: Papandreou's peccadilloes
Papandreou's peccadilloes may bring his downfall
Time Magazine

The British [establishment] needs to give more power to the provinces and reduce the power of London in its economy and polity. It also needs to address the concerns of the left-behind as a matter of priority rather than luxuriating in the peccadilloes of the cosmopolitan elite.
The Economist

Pirsig’s references to the peculiarities, peccadilloes, and power of the university are frequent and unmistakable.
The Los Angeles Times Review of Books

Answer 8

If it is not strictly against the rules, but a silly thing to do that's generally frowned upon, I would probably use the word indiscretion.

From the ODE:

indiscretion
/ɪndɪˈskrɛʃ(ə)n/, noun
Behaviour or speech that is indiscreet or displays a lack of good judgement.

Answer 9

Having read all the comments above, I have a sense that we have gone overboard in synonyms for rule-breaking. At risk of being accused of British understatement, ~I would say "Dyeing your hair pink is an error in secondary school".

Please note the spelling of "dyeing"

Answer 10

Dyeing your hair pink _________ in secondary school.

● The suggested answers to this question:

1. is a minor infringement
2. is a minor infraction
3. is an act of juvenile delinquency
4. is not (officially) allowed
5. is a no-no
6. is a breach/transgression
7. is a serious breach / transgression (as Andrew said)

● We can also use these sentences in order to deliver the order:

1. Several of the girls were dying their hair pink, in contravention of the school rules on dress and makeup .

2. Dyeing your hair pink is strictly prohibited inside the school.

Answer 11

One correct word is just
wrong (AHD)
adj.

4. Not fitting or suitable; inappropriate or improper: said the wrong thing.
5. Not in accord with established usage, method, or procedure: the wrong way to shuck clams.

"Dying your hair pink is wrong in secondary school."

In the sense, "it's not the done thing;" "it's against the convention."

Any of the above alternatives may also work: not in accord with established usage, not fitting, inappropriate, improper.

Answer 12

If it's against the rules of the school:

violation of school rules

If it's a forbidden by social customs:

taboo

Answer 13

Well I like a long list and here's mine (I think it's interesting to consider who the speaker might be describing this act with varying degrees of disapprobation, it could be a peer, a tutor, a stern head of school, a parent, a sibling, a sibling, a priest, even a lawyer):

sin, misdemeanour, offence, crime, peccadillo, violation, infraction, transgression, error, lapse, fault, infringement, disgrace, outrage, slip, indiscretion, wrongdoing.

Answer 14

Crimes are generally separated into two distinct levels depending on the seriousness of the offense. These levels are Felonies and Misdemeanors. Both levels are broken down further into different classes. For example, a misdemeanor can be of class 1, 2, or 3, where class 3 is the least serious. There are minimum and maximum penalties for each class of felony and misdemeanor. These min and max guidelines are intended to guide judges in their ruling and hopefully provide some semblance of evenly distributed justice within a society.

The most minor offense may be called a summary offense. This includes minor infractions such as loitering and small value retail theft. A conviction of a summary offense usually results in a fine.

The punishment for being convicted of a felony or misdemeanor will vary. Conviction of a misdemeanor usually results in a fine. However, other factors like the seriousness of the crime or a history of previous offenses may increase the punishment. Additional punishment may include community service, house arrest, a work release program, jail time, and of course, more fines. It is also common to lose privileges such as a driver's license. This is especially true for offenses involving drugs and alcohol.

An act that is not illegal but is "against the rules" or "frowned upon" could be considered a wrongdoing or violation. This depends on the nature of the circumstances surrounding the action. For example, feeding the ducks at a pond where signage prohibiting this action is clearly posted may result in your immediate removal from the area or even a costly fine. There may not be any penal code prohibiting such action but if the locality has decided to enforce this rule then your violation may result in punishment.