Without enough punishment serving as a warning? (7)
I believe the answer is:
example
'a warning?' is the definition.
(as in making an example of someone)
'without enough' is the wordplay.
'without' becomes 'ex' (Latin).
'enough' becomes 'ample' (ample means enough or plenty).
'ex'+'ample'='EXAMPLE'
'punishment serving as' is the link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for example that I've seen before include "Characteristic item" , "Instance - pattern" , "Thing illustrating a general rule" , "Representative object" , "Prototype" .)