forfeit

[ fawr-fit ]
See synonyms for: forfeitforfeitedforfeiting on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a fine; penalty.

  2. an act of forfeiting; forfeiture.

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

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

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

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.

adjective
  1. lost or subject to loss by forfeiture.

Origin of forfeit

1
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”

Other words for forfeit

Other words from forfeit

  • for·feit·a·ble, adjective
  • for·feit·er, noun
  • non·for·feit·a·ble, adjective
  • non·for·feit·ing, adjective
  • re·for·feit, verb (used with object)
  • un·for·feit·a·ble, adjective
  • un·for·feit·ing, adjective

Words Nearby forfeit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use forfeit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for forfeit

forfeit

/ (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

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

  2. (sometimes plural)

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

    • an object so given up

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

  2. (tr) law

    • to confiscate as punishment

    • to surrender (something exacted as a penalty)

adjective
  1. surrendered or liable to be surrendered as a penalty

Origin of forfeit

1
C13: from Old French forfet offence, from forfaire to commit a crime, from Medieval Latin foris facere to act outside (what is lawful), from Latin foris outside + facere to do

Derived forms of forfeit

  • forfeitable, adjective
  • forfeiter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012