Losing or giving up something as a consequence or punishment, especially due to breaking a rule or contract.
Present participle of 'forfeit,' from Old French 'forfait' (wrongdoing) + 'forfaire' (to commit a crime). The verb entered English through legal language when Norman-French administrators applied their vocabulary to English law.
Athletes commonly talk about 'forfeiting' games, but the original meaning was darker—it meant losing your property, freedom, or even life as punishment. Modern sports use softened the word, but its medieval ancestor was genuinely terrifying.
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