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)

forfeits, present (3rd person singular) forfeited, past participle, past forfeiting present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have forfeited
  perfect
• has forfeited
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been forfeiting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are forfeiting
  progressive
• am forfeiting
  progressive 1st person singular
• is forfeiting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• forfeiting
  participle
• have been forfeiting
  perfect progressive
• forfeits
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had forfeited
  perfect
• had been forfeiting
  perfect progressive
• was forfeiting
  progressive singular
• were forfeiting
  progressive plural
• forfeited
  simple
• forfeited
  participle

Future

• will forfeit
  simple
• will have forfeited
  perfect
• will have been forfeiting
  perfect progressive
• will be forfeiting
  progressive

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

There lie the lands of other kings— I Sigismund, my sometime crown Forfeit; forgotten of renown My wars, my rule; I fain would go Down to yon peace obscure.'

From Poems by Jean Ingelow, In Two Volumes, Volume II. by Ingelow, Jean

Yes, we have, but the King has this Advantage of us, that We may Forfeit our Liberties but He cannot forfeit his Crown.

From Citt and Bumpkin (1680) by L'Estrange, Sir Roger

Related Words

• abandon
• lose
• relinquish
• renounce
• surrender