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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Comminatory

Comminatory \Com*min"a*to"ry\, a. [Cf. F. comminatoire.] Threatening or denouncing punishment; as, comminatory terms.
--B. Jonson.

Wiktionary
comminatory

a. Of or pertaining to commination.

WordNet
comminatory

adj. containing warning of punishment [syn: denunciative, denunciatory]

Wikipedia
Comminatory

In law, a comminatory is a clause inserted into a law, edict, patent, etc., describing a punishment that is to be imposed on delinquents, which, however, is not in practice executed with the rigor that is conveyed in the description, or not even executed at all.

Thus, in some countries, when an exile is enjoined not to return on pain of death, it is deemed a comminatory penalty, since, if he did return, it is not strictly executed, but instead the same threat is laid on him again, which is more than comminatory.

Usage examples of "comminatory".

Captain Tom went sailing from island to island, appearing unexpectedly in various localities, beaming, noisy, anecdotal, commendatory or comminatory, but always welcome.

But presently Arran began to suspect that the portrait was not as comminatory as he could have wished.

The Articles did not possess the terrible force of some parts of the Old Testament, but Captain Aubrey had a deep voice with immense reserves of power, and as he ran through the catalogue of naval crimes it took on a fine comminatory ring that pleased the hands almost as much as Jeremiah or the Great Anathema.

On the second Sunday after their departure, with church rigged, Jack was reading the Articles of War in a loud, official, comminatory voice by way of sermon and all hands were trying to keep upright (for not a sail might be attempted to be touched).