Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
forfeit - 11 dictionary results

for⋅feit

  [fawr-fit]
Use forfeit in a Sentence
–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. forfeits, (used with a singular verb) a game in which such articles are taken from the players.
–verb (used with object)
6. to subject to seizure as a forfeit.
7. to lose or become liable to lose, as in consequence of crime, fault, or breach of engagement.
–adjective
8. lost or subject to loss by forfeiture.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME forfet < OF (ptp. of forfaire to commit crime, to lose possession or right through a criminal act) < ML forīs factum penalty, ptp. of forīs facere to transgress, equiv. to L forīs outside, wrongly + facere to make, do

Related forms:
for⋅feit⋅a⋅ble, adjective
for⋅feit⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
7. surrender, yield, relinquish, forgo, waive.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To forfeit
for·feit   (fôr'fĭt)   
n.  
  1. Something surrendered or subject to surrender as punishment for a crime, an offense, an error, or a breach of contract.
  2. Games
    1. Something placed in escrow and then redeemed after payment of a fine.
    2. forfeits A game in which forfeits are demanded.
  3. A forfeiture.
adj.  Lost or subject to loss through forfeiture.
tr.v.   for·feit·ed, for·feit·ing, for·feits
  1. To surrender, be deprived of, or give up the right to on account of a crime, an offense, an error, or a breach of contract.
  2. To subject to seizure as a forfeit.

[Middle English forfet, crime, penalty, from Old French forfait, past participle of forfaire, to commit a crime, act outside the law : fors-, beyond; see foreclose + faire, to do; see feasible.]
for'feit·a·ble adj., for'feit·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Forfeit

For"feit\, n. [OE. forfet crime, penalty, F. forfait crime (LL. forefactum, forifactum), prop. p. p. of forfaire to forfeit, transgress, fr. LL. forifacere, prop., to act beyond; L. foris out of doors, abroad, beyond + facere to do. See Foreign, and FAct.]

1. Injury; wrong; mischief. [Obs. & R.]

To seek arms upon people and country that never did us any forfeit. --Ld. Berners.

2. A thing forfeit or forfeited; what is or may be taken from one in requital of a misdeed committed; that which is lost, or the right to which is alienated, by a crime, offense, neglect of duty, or breach of contract; hence, a fine; a mulct; a penalty; as, he who murders pays the forfeit of his life.

Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal Remit thy other forfeits. --Shak.

3. Something deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine; -- whence the game of forfeits.

Country dances and forfeits shortened the rest of the day. --Goldsmith.

Forfeit

For"feit\, a. [F. forfait, p. p. of forfaire. See Forfeit, n.] Lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.

Thy wealth being forfeit to the state. --Shak.

To tread the forfeit paradise. --Emerson.

Forfeit

For"feit\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Forfeited; p. pr. & vb. n. Forfeiting.] [OE. forfeten. See Forfeit, n.] To lose, or lose the right to, by some error, fault, offense, or crime; to render one's self by misdeed liable to be deprived of; to alienate the right to possess, by some neglect or crime; as, to forfeit an estate by treason; to forfeit reputation by a breach of promise; -- with to before the one acquiring what is forfeited.

[They] had forfeited their property by their crimes. --Burke.

Undone and forfeited to cares forever! --Shak.

Forfeit

For"feit\, v. i. 1. To be guilty of a misdeed; to be criminal; to transgress. [Obs.]

2. To fail to keep an obligation. [Obs.]

I will have the heart of him if he forfeit. --Shak.

Forfeit

For"feit\, p. p. or a. In the condition of being forfeited; subject to alienation. --Shak.

Once more I will renew His laps[`e]d powers, though forfeite. --Milton.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : forfeit
Spanish: multa,
German: die (Geld)Buße,
Japanese: 罰金
More Translations »

forfeit  (n.)
c.1300, from O.Fr. forfait "crime," originally pp. of forfaire "transgress," from for- "outside, beyond," + faire "to do" (from L. facere; see factitious). Translating M.L. foris factum. Sense shifted c.1450 from the crime to the penalty.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

Main Entry: for·feit
Pronunciation: 'for-f&t
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French, from Middle French forfait, past participle of forfaire to commit a crime, from fors outside + faire to do
: something forfeited or subject to being forfeited

Main Entry: forfeit
Function: transitive verb
1 : to lose or lose the right to by some default, failure, or neglect of obligation or duty or by some offense forfeit to the United States…any proceeds which the person obtained, directly or indirectly, from racketeering activity —U.S. Code>
2 : to subject to forfeiture forfeit and sell the same —Morgan v. United States, 107 Federal Reporter Supp. 501 (1952)> —for·feit·abil·i·ty /"for-f&-t&-'bi-l&-tE/ noun —for·feit·able adjective

Main Entry: forfeit
Function: adjective
: forfeited or subject to forfeiture
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see forfeit on Thesaurus | Reference