In vain did the Sphere, in his voice of thunder, reiterate his command of silence, and threaten me with the direst penalties if I persisted.

Eager for the riches that were promised, they swore allegiance to Procopius with dire penalties for disloyalty, promising to stand by him and protect him with their lives.

That was a less dire penalty than I had expected.

Let me not be misunderstood lest I be taken for a blasphemer myself and thereby subject to the usual dire penalties.

That he refrained from threatening them with dire penalties for such refractory silence would only have confirmed Jerome in his black disapproval of such an attitude.

The law against beating and maiming children, that's still in force, with dire enough penalties.

This mount inflicts No direr penalty.

Death is the dire penalty if my prisoner escapes!

The windows were so high up that one could not look outside, and the sole ornament was a set of Rules threatening dire penalties to any casual who misconducted himself.

"Maybe not-but I thought you had dire penalties for anybody who tinkered with your products."