n.
(pl. penalties)
- a punishment imposed for breaking a law, rule, or contract.
- (in sports and games) a handicap imposed on a player or team for infringement of rules, especially a penalty kick.
▸Bridge points won by the defenders when the declarer fails to make the contract.
Phrase
- under
(or on)
penalty of
under the threat of.
Etymology
C16: prob. via Anglo-Norman Fr., from med. L. poenalitas, based on poena ‘pain’.
