penalty box
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.35 in modern English
24
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
10
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An enclosed bench where a player must remain for timed period (a penalty) that is assessed after an infraction.
noun
The penalty area.
noun
A temporary punishment, or, metaphorically, a similar setback (e.g., loss of control, embarrassment, etc.).
Example Sentences
- "Both players got to cool their heels for five minutes in their respective penalty boxes after the fight."
- "At times, Swindon's penalty box resembled a pinball machine."
- "A visit to the penalty box occurs when the salesman has relinquished control of the sales call by immediately answering the customer's question."
- "What can land you in this metaphorical holding cell, the penalty box of Catholicism?"
- "Florida, Michigan seek exit from Democratic penalty box"
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Sports.