penalties
penalties — noun
- penaltiessingular
- penaltiesesplural
1. a legal consequence, such as a fine or time in prison, that a court orders when
a legal consequence, such as a fine or time in prison, that a court orders when someone is found guilty of a crime
The penalty for stealing a car in that country can be up to ten years in prison.
the penalty for + crime + can be + punishment
Nora received a lighter penalty because she cooperated with the police investigation.
Judges have the power to decide whether the penalty should be a fine or a prison sentence.
Felix was warned that the penalty for lying in court would be a separate criminal charge.
The new law increases the penalty for dangerous driving to include a mandatory ban from the roads.
- punishment
more general term; penalty is specifically tied to laws or rules
- sentence
specifically the court's official decision on punishment after a conviction
- sanction
more formal; can also mean an official order restricting trade or relations
- reward
something given as a positive result rather than a negative one
文法句型
the penalty for + noun/-ing
a penalty of + time/money
用法筆記
Frequently used in legal contexts. The preposition for introduces the crime or offense, while of introduces the punishment amount or duration.
常見錯誤
2. an amount of money that someone must pay for breaking a contract, arriving late,
an amount of money that someone must pay for breaking a contract, arriving late, or failing to follow a set of rules
Amira had to pay a penalty of fifty dollars for returning the rental car one day late.
pay a penalty of + amount for + reason
The building contractor faced a heavy penalty for failing to complete the work on time.
Many airlines charge a penalty when passengers change their ticket less than twenty-four hours before departure.
Lucía read every line of the rental agreement to check for early-exit penalty clauses.
If you withdraw money from this savings account early, the bank deducts a penalty equal to three months of interest.
文法句型
a penalty for + noun/-ing
pay a penalty of + amount
用法筆記
Often appears in financial and contractual contexts. The penalty can be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total value. Late-payment penalties are common in loans, credit cards, and utility bills.
常見錯誤
3. a punishment or disadvantage given to a player or team in a sport, such as footb
a punishment or disadvantage given to a player or team in a sport, such as football or hockey, for breaking the rules during a game
The referee awarded a penalty after the goalkeeper collided with the striker inside the box.
collocation: award / give a penalty
Antonia scored from the penalty spot and sent the crowd into a wild celebration.
The hockey player sat in the penalty box for two minutes because of his high-sticking violation.
Noa argued with the referee that the tackle was clean and should not have been a penalty.
The team conceded two penalties in the first half and lost the match by a single goal.
- advantage
the benefit a team gains from play, opposite of a penalty disadvantage
文法句型
award / give / concede a penalty
penalty kick / box / spot / shot
用法筆記
Common in football (soccer), hockey, and rugby. In football, 'penalty' often refers specifically to a penalty kick. In hockey, a player sits in the 'penalty box' temporarily. In American football, yardage is taken away from the offending team.
常見錯誤
4. an unpleasant result that comes naturally from a particular choice, situation, o
an unpleasant result that comes naturally from a particular choice, situation, or way of living
Dario accepted that long working hours were simply one of the penalties of running his own business.
the penalty / penalties of + situation
Meera paid a heavy penalty for ignoring the early signs of the disease.
collocation: pay a heavy / terrible penalty
The team paid the penalty for their poor preparation by losing the championship game badly.
One penalty of being a famous singer is that Brian cannot go anywhere without being recognized.
Layla felt that the emotional penalty of keeping the secret was worse than any punishment her parents would give.
文法句型
the penalty of + noun/-ing
pay the penalty for + noun/-ing
用法筆記
Often used in plural form (the penalties of fame / success). Unlike senses 1-3, this meaning is not about an official rule — it describes a natural, unavoidable downside. The verb phrase 'pay the penalty' is a fixed expression in this sense.