Awful option, fan had to bear English having dire penalties (2,4,2,5)
I believe the answer is:
on pain of death
If this is the answer, I'm afraid I cannot explain it.
Can you help me to learn more?
I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free.
Check out my app
or
learn more
about the Crossword Genius project.