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| pen·al·ty [ pénn'ltee ] (plural pen·al·ties) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. punishment for crime: a legal or official punishment for committing a crime or other offense, e.g. a fine or imprisonment
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2. punishment for breaking contract: a punishment, e.g. a fine, for failing to fulfill the terms of a legal agreement
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3. unpleasant consequence: something unpleasant suffered as the result of an unwise action
  paying the penalty of being too lenient
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4. disadvantage for breaking rule: a disadvantage imposed on a player or team for breaking a rule in a sport or game, e.g. a free shot at the goal awarded to the opposing side
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5. soccer
Same as penalty kick (sense 1)
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6. goal from penalty: in soccer, a goal scored from a penalty
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| [15th century. < assumed Anglo-Norman variant of French pénalité< Latin poenalis (see penal)] |
