Webster's English Dictionary

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penalty

pen.al.ty \'pen-*l-te-\ n [ML poenalitas, fr. L poenalis] 1: punishment for 
   crime or offense  2: the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a 
   person subjects hims elf by agreement in case of nonfulfillment of 
   stipulations 3: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action  4: 
   points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract -m 
   usu. used in pl. - penalty aj