Penalty

Alternative forms

• pÅ“nalty archaic

Full definition of penalty

Noun

1. A legal sentence.The penalty for his crime was to do hard labor.
2. A punishment for violating rules of procedure.
• 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, , Chapter I,Was it so irreconcilable, Warwick wondered, as still to peal out the curfew bell, which at nine o'clock at night had clamorously warned all negroes, slave or free, that it was unlawful for them to be abroad after that hour, under penalty of imprisonment or whipping?
3. (finance) A payment forfeited for an early withdrawal from an account or an investment.
4. (football) A direct free kick from the penalty spot, taken after a defensive foul in the penalty box; a penalty kick.
5. (ice hockey) A punishment for an infraction of the rules, often in the form of being removed from play for a specified amount of time.A penalty was called when he tripped up his opponent.

Related terms

• penal
• penality rare

Derived terms

• penalty arc
• penalty box
• penalty kick
• penalty area
• penalty phase
• penalty shot
• penalty shoot-out
• penalty spot

Anagrams

• aplenty, netplay