Definition

1. Verb:

   • To lose or be forced to give up something as a penalty for a mistake, fault, or failure to perform an obligation.
   • To surrender a right, privilege, or possession due to an error, offense, or crime.

2. Noun:

   • Something that is lost or surrendered as a penalty.
   • The act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty.
   • A penalty for a fault or mistake.

3. Adjective:

   • Lost or surrendered as a penalty.

Usage Examples

• Verb:

  • If you break the rules, you will forfeit your prize.
  • He forfeited his right to a trial by pleading guilty.
  • The team had to forfeit the match because they arrived late.

• Noun:

  • The forfeit for losing the bet was fifty dollars.
  • Failure to comply will result in the forfeit of your deposit.
  • The contract lists the forfeits for late completion.

• Adjective:

  • The forfeit property was seized by the authorities.
  • His former privileges are now forfeit.

Advanced Usage

• "To be forfeit": Describes the state of something that has been lost as a penalty.
  • His liberty was forfeit after the conviction.
• "Forfeit of": Used to specify what is lost.
  • The judge ordered the forfeit of all assets gained illegally.

Variants and Related Words

• Forfeiture (n): The act of forfeiting or the thing forfeited. This is a more formal synonym for the noun "forfeit."
  • The law allows for the forfeiture of property used in a crime.
• Forfeitable (adj): Capable of being forfeited.
  • The bail money is forfeitable if the defendant does not appear in court.

Synonyms

• Verb: Lose, surrender, relinquish, sacrifice.
• Noun: Penalty, fine, loss, confiscation.

Related Phrases

• Forfeit a game/match: To lose a game by default, often due to a rule violation.
  • The team was disqualified and had to forfeit the game.
• Pay the forfeit: To suffer the penalty or consequence.
  • He cheated and now he must pay the forfeit.

Idioms

• To one's forfeit: Resulting in one's loss or penalty.
  • He acted rashly, to his forfeit. (This is a less common, more literary construction.)

Adjective

1. surrendered as a penalty

Noun

1. the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.
2. a penalty for a fault or mistake that involves losing or giving up something
   • the contract specified forfeits if the work was not completed on time
3. something that is lost or surrendered as a penalty;

Verb

1. lose (s.th.) or lose the right to (s.th.) by some error, offense, or crime
   • you've forfeited your right to name your successor
   • forfeited property