[pen.al.ty] n, pl -ties [ML poenalitas, fr. L poenalis] (15c) 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
2: the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations 3 a: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action b: a disadvantage (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
4: points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract--usu. used in pl. -- penalty adj