penalty
noun
pen·al·ty
ˈpe-nᵊl-tē
plural penalties
1
: the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense
trespassing forbidden under penalty of imprisonment
2
: the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations
A penalty was imposed on the contractor for breach of contract.
3
a
: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action
Loss of privacy is one of the penalties you pay for fame.
b
: a disadvantage (such as loss of yardage, time, or possession of the ball or an addition to or subtraction from the score) imposed on a team or competitor for violation of the rules of a sport
The team was given a penalty for the foul.
4
: points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract
—usually used in plural
penalty
adjective
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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