penalty
B2Formal, Semi-Formal, Technical (Sport/Legal)
Definition
Meaning
A punishment or disadvantage imposed for breaking a rule, law, or agreement.
A disadvantage suffered as a result of an action or situation; in sports, a punishment awarded to the opposing team for an infringement, often a free kick or shot on goal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The concept bridges justice systems (law), rule-based games (sports), and general cause-and-effect (e.g., 'the penalty of success'). It implies an official or inherent consequence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. In football/soccer contexts, both use 'penalty (kick)'. In ice hockey, AmE may use 'penalty' more generically for time in the penalty box, while BrE might specify 'two-minute penalty'. Spelling: always 'penalty'.
Connotations
Similar connotations of negative consequence. In financial contexts (penalty fee/charge), equally common.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in BrE due to prominence of football culture, but very common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
impose a penalty on [someone] for [something]incur a penalty for [doing something][someone] faces a penalty of [amount/time]pay the penalty for [something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pay the penalty”
- “the penalty of success (the downsides of being successful)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A financial charge for breaching a contract or missing a deadline, e.g., 'a penalty for early withdrawal from the pension scheme.'
Academic
Used in law, economics, and sociology to discuss punitive measures, deterrents, and consequences of actions.
Everyday
Discussing sports, parking tickets, or minor consequences, e.g., 'There's a penalty for returning the library book late.'
Technical
In sports: the specific rules for fouls (penalty corner in hockey, penalty in rugby). In law: the prescribed punishment for a crime.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The referee decided to penalise the defender for a handball.
- Companies are penalised for excessive pollution.
American English
- The referee decided to penalize the defender for a handball.
- You will be penalized for filing your taxes late.
adverb
British English
- The law was designed penalty to deter fraud. (Rare, formal)
American English
- The system works penalty rather than incentivising good behaviour. (Rare, formal)
adjective
British English
- The striker stepped up to take the penalty kick.
- They were in a penalty shoot-out to decide the match.
American English
- The team's penalty kill unit was excellent.
- A penalty shot was awarded.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The player got a yellow card and a penalty.
- If you park here, you will get a penalty.
- The penalty for speeding is usually a fine and points on your licence.
- They won the game after scoring a penalty in the last minute.
- The new regulations impose severe financial penalties on companies that violate environmental standards.
- The team's strategy collapsed after the controversial penalty decision.
- Critics argue that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent to violent crime.
- The contractual penalty clause was deemed unenforceable due to its disproportionate nature.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PEN being used to write a fine or a rule. A PENALTY is what happens when you break the rule written with the PEN. (Pen -> Penal -> Penalty).
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A BALANCE / LIFE IS A GAME. A penalty restores balance (scale metaphor) after a rule is broken in the 'game' of law or sport.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with 'штраф' for all contexts. 'Штраф' is best for monetary fines. For sports penalties, use 'пенальти' (football) or 'наказание' (other sports). For the death penalty, use 'смертная казнь'.
- The Russian 'пеня' is a specific type of fine for late payment, not a general 'penalty'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'punishment' interchangeably in all contexts (punishment is more personal/disciplinary, penalty is more formal/rule-based).
- Misspelling as 'penality'.
- Incorrect preposition: 'penalty of' (for the crime) vs. 'penalty for' (doing something).
Practice
Quiz
In football (soccer), what is a 'penalty shoot-out'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'fine' is almost always a monetary punishment. A 'penalty' is broader: it can be a fine, but also other punishments like a sports sanction, a loss of advantage, or even the death penalty.
No, 'penalty' is a noun. The related verb is 'to penalise' (BrE) / 'to penalize' (AmE).
Almost never. It inherently denotes a negative consequence, disadvantage, or punishment. The closest to neutral is in sports, where it's a procedural consequence.
It means to suffer the negative consequences of your actions, not necessarily involving money. E.g., 'He partied all night and paid the penalty with a terrible headache at work.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.
Law and Regulation
C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.
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