penalty box

penalty box

English

Noun

penalty box (plural penalty boxes)

1. (ice hockey) An enclosed bench where a player must remain for timed period (a penalty) that is assessed after an infraction.

   Both players got to cool their heels for five minutes in their respective penalty boxes after the fight.

2. (soccer) The penalty area.
3. (idiomatic, figuratively) A temporary punishment, or, metaphorically, a similar setback (e.g., loss of control, embarrassment, etc.).
   • 2003, Tim Breithaupt, 10 Steps to Sales Success: The Proven System That Can Shorten the Selling Cycle, Double Your Close Ratio, →ISBN, pg. 170:

     A visit to the penalty box occurs when the salesman has relinquished control of the sales call by immediately answering the customer's question.

   • 2003, John Portmann, Sex and heaven: Catholics in bed and at prayer, →ISBN, pg. 155:

     What can land you in this metaphorical holding cell, the penalty box of Catholicism?

   • 2008, John Zarrella and Patrick Oppmann, "Florida, Michigan seek exit from Democratic penalty box," CNN.com, :

     Florida, Michigan seek exit from Democratic penalty box

Synonyms

• (ice hockey): sin bin

Translations

in ice hockey, enclosed bench for serving a penalty

Catalan: banqueta d'expulsats (ca) Czech: trestná lavice f Finnish: rangaistusaitio, jäähyaitio French: banc des pénalités m

Irish: loca pionóis m, póna peacaí m Russian: скаме́йка штрафников f (skaméjka štrafnikov), скаме́йка для оштрафованных игроков f (skaméjka dlja oštrafovannyx igrokov) (formally), скаме́йка для плохих парней (skaméjka dlja ploxix parnej) (slang) Swedish: utvisningsbås n, bås (sv) n

penalty area — see penalty area