Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

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,
   inferior lower, Skr. adhas below. [root]201. 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.

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.

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 : WordNet®

under
     adv 1: down to defeat, death, or ruin; "their competitors went
            under"
     2: through a range downward; "children six and under will be
        admitted free"
     3: into unconsciousness; "this will put the patient under"
     4: in or into a state of subordination or subjugation; "we must
        keep our disappointment under"
     5: below some quantity or limit; "fifty dollars or under"
     6: below the horizon; "the sun went under"
     7: down below; "get under quickly!"
     8: further down; "see under for further discussion" [syn: {below}]

under
     adj 1: located below or beneath something else; "nether garments";
            "the under parts of a machine" [syn: {nether}]
     2: lower in rank, power, or authority; "an under secretary"
        [syn: {under(a)}]