Penalty \Pe"nal*ty\, n.; pl. Penalties. [F. p['e]nalit['e]. See Penal.]

1. Penal retribution; punishment for crime or offense; the suffering in person or property which is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime, offense, or trespass.

Death is the penalty imposed. --Milton.

2. The suffering, or the sum to be forfeited, to which a person subjects himself by covenant or agreement, in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations; forfeiture; fine.

The penalty and forfeit of my bond. --Shak.

3. A handicap. [Sporting Cant]

Note: The term penalty is in law mostly applied to a pecuniary punishment.

Bill of pains and penalties. See under Bill.

On, or Under, penalty of, on pain of; with exposure to the penalty of, in case of transgression.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Under \Un"der\, prep. [AS. under, prep. & adv.; akin to OFries. under, OS. undar, D. onder, G. unter, OHG. untar, Icel. undir, Sw. & Dan. under, Goth. undar, L. infra below,

1. Cf. Inferior.]

1. Below or lower, in place or position, with the idea of being covered; lower than; beneath; -- opposed to over; as, he stood under a tree; the carriage is under cover; a cellar extends under the whole house.

Fruit put in bottles, and the bottles let down into wells under water, will keep long. --Bacon.

Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven, Into one place. --Milton.

2. Hence, in many figurative uses which may be classified as follows;
   (a) Denoting relation to some thing or person that is superior, weighs upon, oppresses, bows down, governs, directs, influences powerfully, or the like, in a relation of subjection, subordination, obligation, liability, or the like; as, to travel under a heavy load; to live under extreme oppression; to have fortitude under the evils of life; to have patience under pain, or under misfortunes; to behave like a Christian under reproaches and injuries; under the pains and penalties of the law; the condition under which one enters upon an office; under the necessity of obeying the laws; under vows of chastity.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Under \Un"der\, adv. In a lower, subject, or subordinate condition; in subjection; -- used chiefly in a few idiomatic phrases; as, to bring under, to reduce to subjection; to subdue; to keep under, to keep in subjection; to control; to go under, to be unsuccessful; to fail.

I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection. --1 Cor. ix. 27.

The minstrel fell, but the foeman's chain Could not bring his proud soul under. --Moore.

Note: Under is often used in composition with a verb to indicate lowness or inferiority in position or degree, in the act named by the verb; as, to underline; to undermine; to underprop.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Under \Un"der\, a. Lower in position, intensity, rank, or degree; subject; subordinate; -- generally in composition with a noun, and written with or without the hyphen; as, an undercurrent; undertone; underdose; under-garment; underofficer; undersheriff.

Under covert (Zo["o]l.), one of the feathers situated beneath the bases of the quills in the wings and tail of a bird. See Illust. under Bird.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)