penalty
Translation
penalty, punishment, fine, disadvantage
Examples
The penalty for speeding is a fine.
The penalty for speeding is a fine.
He missed the penalty kick.
He missed the penalty kick.
There is a penalty for early withdrawal.
There is a penalty for early withdrawal.
Grammar Patterns
a penalty ((for sth.)) a punishment for doing sth. wrong The penalty for speeding is a fine.
a penalty ((on sth.)) a charge for doing sth. There is a penalty on early withdrawals.
Similar Words
Synonyms: punishment, fine, sanction; Antonyms: reward, prize
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'poena', meaning 'punishment, pain'.
Memory Tips
In sports, a 'penalty' is a disadvantage given for breaking a rule. This concept extends to laws and contracts.