[ 'fɔ:fɪt ]
■ verb ( ~s , ~ing , ~ed ) lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing.
↘lose or give up as a necessary consequence: she ~ed another hour in bed to muck out the horses.
■ noun a fine or penalty for wrongdoing.
↘ Law a ~ed item of property, right, or privilege.
↘( ~s ) [treated as sing. ] a game in which trivial penalties are exacted for minor misdemeanours.
■ adjective lost or surrendered as a ~.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~er noun
~ure noun
Origin
ME (orig. denoting a crime or transgression): from OFr. forfet , forfait , forfaire 'transgress', from for- 'out' + faire 'do'.