Synonyms:
penal, punishable
Meaning: subject to punishment by law; "a penal offense"
Synonyms:
penal
Meaning: serving as or designed to impose punishment; "penal servitude"
Synonyms:
penal
Meaning: of or relating to punishment; "penal reform"; "penal code"
Usage examples
He stood it--to the tune of ten years' penal servitude.
If temptation were rare, a penal law might be deemed unnecessary.
It ought to be made penal to send innocent girls into the world so burdened.'
Mr. Benjamin was too clever for us both, and now he is going to have penal servitude for the rest of his life.
shall I know any better what they are for, when I am crushed by hardships and idiocy, and weak as an old man after twenty years' penal servitude?
I may add by the way that since then, very many persons have supposed, and even now maintain, that I was sent to penal servitude for the murder of my wife.
One thing remains to be said: it is that the communities are day and night occupied in making penal laws, and in preparing and organizing instruments and means of punishment.
"I challenge the candidate to deny," said the man, as soon as he could be heard, "that his real name is Silas Kegworthy, and that he underwent three years' penal servitude for murderously assaulting his wife."
At the present time the contrary prevails; the community is always thinking of enforcing the penal laws, and of preparing means of punishment, instruments of death and chastisement, places for imprisonment and banishment; and they expect crimes to be committed.
They held their ground successfully--as the lay schools did--during the evil days of later ages, when determined attempts were made, under the penal laws, to suppress them; and at the present day they are working all over the country quite as vigorously as in days of yore.