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Definition of penalty - 4 dictionary results
Penalty
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pen⋅al⋅ty

  [pen-l-tee]
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–noun, plural -ties.
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.
Origin:
1505–15; ≪ ML poenālitās. See penal, -ty 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pen·al·ty   (pěn'əl-tē)   
n.   pl. pen·al·ties
  1. A punishment established by law or authority for a crime or offense.
  2. Something, especially a sum of money, required as a forfeit for an offense.
  3. The disadvantage or painful consequences resulting from an action or condition: neglected his health and paid the penalty.
  4. Sports
    1. A punishment, handicap, or loss of advantage imposed on a team or competitor for infraction of a rule.
    2. An infraction of a rule; a foul.
  5. Games Points scored in contract bridge by the opponents when the declarer fails to make a bid. Often used in the plural.

[Middle English penalte, from Old French penalite, from Medieval Latin poenālitās, from Latin poenālis, penal; see penal.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Penalty

Pe"nal*ty\, n.; pl. Penalties. [F. p['e]nalit['e]. See Penal.]

1. Penal retribution; punishment for crime or offense; the suffering in person or property which is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime, offense, or trespass.

Death is the penalty imposed. --Milton.

2. The suffering, or the sum to be forfeited, to which a person subjects himself by covenant or agreement, in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations; forfeiture; fine.

The penalty and forfeit of my bond. --Shak.

3. A handicap. [Sporting Cant]

Note: The term penalty is in law mostly applied to a pecuniary punishment.

Bill of pains and penalties. See under Bill.

On, or Under, penalty of, on pain of; with exposure to the penalty of, in case of transgression.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : penalty
Spanish: pena, castigo,
German: die Strafe,
Japanese: 罰
More Translations »

Main Entry: pen·al·ty
Pronunciation: 'pen-&l-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
1 : a punishment that is imposed on a wrongdoer by statute or judicial decision
2 : a pecuniary sum that by agreement is to be paid by a party who fails to fulfill an obligation to another and that is punitive rather than compensatory penalty and determined actual damages instead>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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