penalty box
A temporary punishment, or, metaphorically, a similar setback (e.g., loss of control, embarrassment, etc.).
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The player spent two minutes in the penalty box.”
“After his outburst at the meeting, the manager put him in the penalty box for a week.”
“Following the scandal, the politician found himself in the metaphorical penalty box, excluded from all major party decisions.”
- 01
box clever
To act wisely.
- 02
box oneself into a corner
To create a predicament or problem for oneself; to do something that leaves one with no good alternatives or solutions.
- 03
box seat
A favorable vantage point.
- 04
box someone's ears
To slap someone on the side of the head, usually as an informal punishment.
- 05
box the compass
To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.
- 06
come from a Cracker Jack box
To obtain or retrieve something that is useless, cheap or fake.
- 07
get one's shine box
Used as an insult.
- 08
idiot box
Television.
Last updated August 10, 2026