Dictionary

forfeit en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/ (General-American)
• /ˈfɔrfət/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈfɔː.fɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.
   • to tread the forfeit paradise 1867, Ralph Waldo Emerson, May-Day:

Translations (4)

bg отнет (lost or alienated) · bg отчужден (lost or alienated) · sv förverkad (lost or alienated) · de verwirkt (lost or alienated)

forfeit en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/ (General-American)
• /ˈfɔrfət/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈfɔː.fɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor.
   • That he our deadly forfeit should release 1629, John Milton, On the Morning of Christ's Nativity:
2. (countable, uncountable) A thing forfeited; that which is taken from somebody in requital of a misdeed committed; that which is lost, or the right to which is alienated, by a crime, breach of contract, etc.
   • Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal / Remit thy other forfeits. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
   • He who murders pays the forfeit of his own life.
3. (countable, uncountable) Something deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine as part of a game.
   • Country dances and forfeits shortened the rest of the day. 1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC:
4. (countable, obsolete, rare, uncountable) Injury; wrong; mischief.
   • a. 1789, Barry St. Leger, Siege of Nicopolis to seek arms upon people and country that never did us any forfeit

Forms

Translations (31)

gl pena (penalty) · cs ztráta (something taken in requital of a misdeed committed) · el πρόστιμο (penalty) · cmn 懲罰 /惩罚 (something deposited and redeemable) · uk пеня́ (penalty) · el τίμημα (penalty) · de Pfand (something deposited and redeemable) · ca pena (penalty) · ca penyora (something deposited and redeemable) · bg глоба (penalty) · cs daň (za co) (penalty) · cs cena (za co) (penalty) · pt prenda (something deposited and redeemable) · pt penalidade (penalty) · ru штраф (penalty) · uk розпла́та (penalty) · bg залог (something deposited and redeemable) · cs fant (something deposited and redeemable) · gl prenda (something deposited and redeemable) · sk penále (penalty) · bg вреда (injury, wrong, mischief) · sk pokuta (penalty) · gl penalización (penalty) · uk неусто́йка (penalty) · es prenda (something deposited and redeemable) · ru распла́та (penalty) · fa جزا (penalty) · ga pionós (penalty) · fr gage (something deposited and redeemable) · de Strafe (penalty) · uk штраф (penalty)

forfeit en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/ (General-American)
• /ˈfɔrfət/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈfɔː.fɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English forfait from ca. 1300, from Old French forfait (“crime”), originally the past participle of forfaire (“to transgress”), and Medieval Latin foris factum. During the 15th century, the sense shifted from the crime to the penalty for the crime.

Meanings

1. To suffer the loss of something by wrongdoing or non-compliance
   • He forfeited his last chance of an early release from jail by repeatedly attacking another inmate.
2. To lose a contest, game, match, or other form of competition by voluntary withdrawal, by failing to attend or participate, or by violation of the rules
   • Because only nine players were present, the football team was forced to forfeit the game.
3. To be guilty of a misdeed; to be criminal; to transgress.
4. To fail to keep an obligation.
   • I will have the heart of him if he forfeit. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
5. Of government officials: to legally remove property from its previous owners.
   • After the raid on USPV, Plaintiffs filed claims with the FBI seeking return of their seized property. The government did not return the property in response to these claims; instead, it indicated that it was seeking to forfeit the property. 2024 January 23, Judge Milan D. Smith, Jr., Snitko v. United States, archived from the original on 24 Jan 2024:

Forms

Deriveds

forfeitability · unforfeited · forfeitable · nonforfeiting · unforfeit · nonforfeiture · forfeiture · nonforfeited · forfeiter · forfeits

Synonyms

disqualify · surrender · capitulate · forgo · withgo

Translations (67)

ca abandonar (to give up in defeat) · la perdo (to suffer the loss) · sh predati (to give up in defeat) · nl verbeuren (to give up in defeat) · hu felad (to give up in defeat) · sh izgubiti (to suffer the loss) · pt perder (to suffer the loss) · bg предам се (to give up in defeat) · cs prohrát kontumačně (to give up in defeat) · pl zrzec się (to give up in defeat) · fr déclarer forfait (to give up in defeat) · sv lämna walk over (to give up in defeat) · io perdar (to suffer the loss) · sk vzdať (to give up in defeat) · cs připravit se (o co) (to suffer the loss) · fr démériter (to suffer the loss) · da fortabe (to suffer the loss) · bg предавам се (to give up in defeat) · cs přijít (o co) (to suffer the loss) · de drangeben (to give up in defeat) · da miste (to suffer the loss) · nl verliezen (to suffer the loss) · nl opgeven (to give up in defeat) · sk prepadnúť (to suffer the loss) · de aufgeben (to give up in defeat) · fr abandonner (to give up in defeat) · nl verkwanselen (to suffer the loss) · ta இழ (to suffer the loss) · sv förlora på walk over (to give up in defeat) · ca desistir (to suffer the loss) · fa از دست دادن (to suffer the loss) · ru лиша́ться (to suffer the loss) · bg губя (to suffer the loss) · es desmerecer de (to suffer the loss) · ca rendir-se (to give up in defeat) · fr perdre (to suffer the loss) · ru лиши́ться (to suffer the loss) · sv förverka (to suffer the loss) · el χάνω (to give up in defeat) · el στερούμαι (to suffer the loss) · de verspielen (to suffer the loss) · ga lig ar ceal (to suffer the loss) · gd caill (to suffer the loss) · cs pozbýt (to suffer the loss) · de verwirken (to suffer the loss) · nl verspelen (to suffer the loss) · pt render-se (to give up in defeat) · ru сдава́ться (to give up in defeat) · pt abandonar (to give up in defeat) · pl stracić (to suffer the loss) · ru утра́тить (to suffer the loss) · cs ztratit (to suffer the loss) · es desmerecerse de (to suffer the loss) · es rendirse (to give up in defeat) · sk stratiť (to suffer the loss) · pl zrezygnować (to give up in defeat) · pt desistir (to give up in defeat) · io desmeritar (to suffer the loss) · ru утра́чивать (to suffer the loss) · ca desmerèixer (to suffer the loss) · io abandonar (to give up in defeat) · bg лишавам се от (to suffer the loss) · cs vzdát se (to give up in defeat) · da forspilde (to suffer the loss) · de einbüßen (to suffer the loss) · ru сда́ться (to give up in defeat) · ca perdre (to suffer the loss)