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penalty

American  
[pen-l-tee] / ˈpɛn l ti /

noun

plural

penalties

  1. a punishment imposed or incurred for a violation of law or rule.

  2. a loss, forfeiture, suffering, or the like, to which one subjects oneself by nonfulfillment of some obligation.

  3. something that is forfeited, as a sum of money.

  4. a disadvantage imposed upon one of the competitors or upon one side for infraction of the rules of a game, sport, etc.

  5. consequence or disadvantage attached to any action, condition, etc.

penalty British  
/ ˈpɛnəltɪ /

noun

  1. a legal or official punishment, such as a term of imprisonment

  2. some other form of punishment, such as a fine or forfeit for not fulfilling a contract

  3. loss, suffering, or other unfortunate result of one's own action, error, etc

  4. sport games a handicap awarded against a player or team for illegal play, such as a free shot at goal by the opposing team, loss of points, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of penalty

1505–15; ≪ Medieval Latin poenālitās. See penal, -ty 2

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.