Forfeit

(fôr'fit), a. [Fr. forfait, p. p. of forfaire.] Lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.

Thy wealth being forfeit to the state. Shak.

And his long tails were forfeit for a look. Dryden.

(fôr’fit), n. [Fr. forfait, Pr. forfach, forfait, O. It. forfatto, L. Lat. forefactum, forisfactum, originally, and still in Fr., Pr., & It., trespass, transgression, or crime, but in Eng. the effect of some transgression or offense; from Fr. & Pr. forfaire, O. It. forfare, L. Lat. foris facere, to offend, injure, act unreasonably, from Lat. foris, out of doors, abroad, beyond, and facere, to do.]

1Sense 1. An unjustifiable and malicious injury; a misdeed; a crime. [Obs. and rare.]

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

2Sense 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.

3Sense 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.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. FORFEITED; p. pr. & vb. n. FORFEITING.] [From the noun. See supra.] To lose, or lose the right to, by some 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 honor or reputation by a breach of promise.

More than we forfeited and lost first In Eden, rebels when we were accursed. Drummond.

Persons who had forfeited their property by their crimes. Burke.

To be guilty of a misdeed; to be criminal. [Obs. and rare.]

And all this suffered our Lord Jesu Christ that never forfeited. Chaucer.