penalty box

American  

[pen-l-tee boks] / ˈpɛn l ti ˌbɒks /

noun

1. Ice Hockey. an enclosed space adjacent to the rink for penalized players, the penalty timekeeper, the game timekeeper, and the official scorer.

   Prior to 1963, there was only one penalty box in each of the six NHL arenas.

2. a temporary punishment: When we send our son to the penalty box, he knows to go straight to his room.

   I can’t go because I’ve been sent to the penalty box for missing another curfew.

   When we send our son to the penalty box, he knows to go straight to his room.

3. a chastisement or humiliation.

   If you dare voice an opposing opinion at these meetings, you end up in the penalty box.

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penalty box British  

noun

1. soccer another name for penalty area

2. ice hockey a bench for players serving time penalties

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Etymology

Origin of penalty box

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

The USA defended manfully, including a period when they were three against five with two in the penalty box.

From BBC

She then skated away to serve her two minutes, a cheeky grin plastered across her face, chirping all the way to the penalty box.

From The Wall Street Journal

The linesman is just in front of it and you can clearly see how much he is in the penalty box.

From BBC

Like last season, Rangers found it difficult to break down a team domestically who sat back to defend their penalty box at Ibrox - and Thompson gave credit to Pressley.

From BBC

And he got involved in deeper positions too, to the right side of the penalty box, which is a place he was not seen as often in that game at Stamford Bridge.

From BBC