forfeit

American  

[fawr-fit] / ˈfɔr fɪt /

noun

1. a fine; penalty.

2. an act of forfeiting; forfeiture.

3. something to which the right is lost, as for commission of a crime or misdeed, neglect of duty, or violation of a contract.

4. an article deposited in a game because of a mistake and redeemable by a fine or penalty.

5. (used with a singular verb) forfeits, a game in which such articles are taken from the players.

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verb (used with object)

1. to subject to seizure as a forfeit.

2. to lose or become liable to lose, as in consequence of crime, fault, or breach of engagement.

   Synonyms:

   waive, forgo, relinquish, yield, surrender, mulct

adjective

1. lost or subject to loss by forfeiture.

forfeit British  

/ ˈfɔːfɪt /

noun

1. something lost or given up as a penalty for a fault, mistake, etc

2. the act of losing or surrendering something in this manner

3. law something confiscated as a penalty for an offence, breach of contract, etc

4. (sometimes plural)

   1. a game in which a player has to give up an object, perform a specified action, etc, if he commits a fault

   2. an object so given up

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verb

1. (tr) to lose or be liable to lose in consequence of a mistake, fault, etc

2. (tr) law

   1. to confiscate as punishment

   2. to surrender (something exacted as a penalty)

adjective

1. surrendered or liable to be surrendered as a penalty

Other Word Forms

• forfeitable
  adjective
• forfeiter
  noun
• nonforfeitable
  adjective
• nonforfeiting
  adjective
• reforfeit
  verb (used with object)
• unforfeitable
  adjective
• unforfeiting
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of forfeit

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English forfet, from Old French (past participle of forfaire “to commit crime, to lose possession or right through a criminal act”), from Medieval Latin forīs factum “penalty,” past participle of forīs facere “to transgress,” equivalent to Latin forīs “outside, wrongly” + facere “to make, do”

Explanation

Forfeit means to lose or give up something, usually as a penalty. If you don’t finish your homework and eat all your broccoli, you'll most likely forfeit your right to watch TV before going to bed. An adjective, noun, and verb all rolled into one, forfeit came into existence around 1300 meaning “to lose by misconduct.” To forfeit is to lose or give up something as punishment for making an error. A forfeit is what is lost. You've probably heard of forfeiting a game or match — like when you don't show up with enough players or pick one too many fights with the opposing team.

Example Sentences

Monsanto was charged with 30 environmental crimes after allowing workers to go into corn fields on Oahu in 2020 after a product named Forfeit 280 was sprayed.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2022

Forfeit the bicycle ride and the opportunities it was taking us toward?

From The Guardian • Oct. 18, 2017

Anya waited for him to disappear around the trees before she spun to Mama and said, “What did he mean? Prison? Forfeit our property?”

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

You wou'd not use Extremity; What is the Forfeit of my Disobedience?

From The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume III by Summers, Montague

Forfeit of price paid in illegal purchase, 35, 37, 177.    oxen and field, for neglect to cultivate, 256.

From The Oldest Code of Laws in the World The code of laws promulgated by Hammurabi, King of Babylon B.C. 2285-2242 by Johns, C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter)

Related Words

• abandon
• lose
• relinquish
• renounce
• surrender