Synopsis edit

\penalty<number>
\binoppenalty=<number>
\brokenpenalty=<number>
\clubpenalty=<number>
\displaywidowpenalty=<number>
\exhyphenpenalty=<number>
\floatingpenalty=<number>
\hyphenpenalty=<number>
\interlinepenalty=<number>
\linepenalty=<number>
\postdisplaypenalty=<number>
\predisplaypenalty=<number>
\relpenalty=<number>
\widowpenalty=<number>

Description edit

`\penalty` sets the penalty for a line or page break at that point.

Some penalties are built in to the TeX system and inserted automatically:

  • `\binoppenalty` for a line break in math mode after a binary operator.
  • `\brokenpenalty` for a page break, where the last line of the previous page contains a hyphenation.
  • `\clubpenalty` for a broken page, with a single line of a paragraph remaining on the bottom of the preceding page.
  • `\displaywidowpenalty` for a break before last line of a paragraph.
  • `\exhyphenpenalty` for hyphenating a word which already contains a hyphen.
  • `\floatingpenalty` for splitting an insertion.
  • `\hyphenpenalty` for line breaking at an automatically inserted hyphen.
  • `\interlinepenalty` for the penalty added after each line of a paragraph.
  • `\linepenalty` the badness of each line within a paragraph.
  • `\postdisplaypenalty` for a break after a display.
  • `\predisplaypenalty` for a break before a display.
  • `\relpenalty` for a line break at a relation.
  • `\widowpenalty` for a broken page, with a single line of a paragraph (called "widow") remaining on the top of the succeeding page.

Default edit

LaTeX for example sets these default values for built in penalties:

\binoppenalty=700
\brokenpenalty=100
\clubpenalty=150
\displaywidowpenalty=50
\exhyphenpenalty=50
\floatingpenalty=20000
\hyphenpenalty=50
\interlinepenalty=0
\linepenalty=10
\postdisplaypenalty=0
\predisplaypenalty=10000
\relpenalty=500
\widowpenalty=150