Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Penalty"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
penalty
n 1: the act of punishing [syn: {punishment}, {penalization}, {penalisation}]
2: a payment required for not fulfilling a contract
3: the disadvantage or painful consequences of an action or
condition: "neglected his health and paid the penalty"
[ant: {advantage}]
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