From Middle English forfait from ca.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈfɔː.fɪt/
• (America) IPA: /ˈfɔɹ.fɪt/

forfeit

1. A penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor.
   • 1629, John Milton, On the Morning of Christ's Nativity:

     That he our deadly forfeit should release

2. 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.

   He who murders pays the forfeit of his own life.

   • 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]:

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

3. Something deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine as part of a game.
   • (Can we date this quote?), [Oliver Goldsmith], [Oliver Goldsmith]}

     }, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     Country dances and forfeits shortened the rest of the day.

     title = The Vicar of Wakefield: […]volume = !(please specify |volume=I or II)location = Salisbury, Wiltshirepublisher = […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […]year = 1766page =pages =pageurl = https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_the-vicar-of-wakefield-_goldsmith-oliver_1766__1/page//mode/1upoclc = 21416084newversion =location2 =publisher2 =year2 =page2 =pages2 =pageurl2 =oclc2 =textparam = 4allowparams = year,volume,1,chapter,2,page,3,pageref,pages

     }}

4. (obsolete, rare) Injury; wrong; mischief.
   • a. 1789, Barry St. Leger, Siege of Nicopolis

     to seek arms upon people and country that never did us any forfeit

• German: Strafe
• Portuguese: penalidade
• Russian: распла́та
• Spanish: penalización

• French: gage
• German: Pfand
• Portuguese: prenda
• Spanish: prenda

forfeit (forfeits, present participle forfeiting; simple past and past participle forfeited)

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.
   • 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]:

     I will have the heart of him if he forfeit.

5. (law) Of government officials: to legally remove property from its previous owners.

• (lose a contest) capitulate, surrender, disqualify
• (voluntarily give up) forgo, withgo

• French: perdre, démériter
• German: verwirken, einbüßen
• Portuguese: perder
• Russian: утра́чивать
• Spanish: perder, desmerecer, desistir

• French: abandonner, déclarer forfait
• German: aufgeben
• Portuguese: render-se, desistir, abandonar
• Russian: сдава́ться
• Spanish: (se) rendir, abandonar

forfeit (not comparable)

1. Lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.
   • 1867, Ralph Waldo Emerson, May-Day:

     to tread the forfeit paradise

• German: verwirkt