Forms: α. 4–5 forfet(t(e, (4–5 furfatt, -fet, 6 forfect, forefaicte), 4–6 forfaite, -ayt(te, -eite, -ete, -eyte, 6– forfeit. β. Sc. 6 foir-, forfalt, -fault, 7 forfaute. [a. OF. forfet, forfait:—med.L. foris factum trespass, fine, neut. pa. pple. of foris facĕre to transgress, f. foris outside (see FOR- pref.3) + fācĕre to do. The Sc. forms β are corrupted by assimilation to fault or default.]
† 1. A misdeed, crime, offence, transgression; hence, wilful injury. Also with of: Transgression against or in respect of, breach or violation of. Obs.
In forfault (Sc. Law): under charge of wrong doing, guilty of breaking the law. (Jam.)
α. a. 1300. Cursor M., 15814 (Cott.).
| Petre was in hand nummen | |
| for forfait he had don. |
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 245.
| That he the forfete of luxure | |
| Shall tempre and reule of such mesure. |
1423. Jas. I., Kingis Q., xcii. Thus were thai wrangit that did no forfet.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 53. Ye may frely … ete them wythoute ony forfayte. Ibid. (1483), G. de la Tour, E v. Men ought wel to kepe hem self fro the forfait of maryage whiche is commaundement of god.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), C iij. Nor it shulde not be suffered by the Censure, who gouerned Rome, & dayely toke hede to the forfaytes doone therin, to suffre a chylde no lengar than .x. yeres of his age to play the chylde.
1668. Temple, Lett. to Ld. Arlington, Wks. 1731, II. 90. No Tenderness of their Prince, nor Corruption of Ministers, can preserve them long from paying what they owe to any Forfeits of their Duty.
β. 14[?]. trans. Burgh Lawis, c. 19, in Sc. Acts (1814), I. 336. Gif ony man or ony woman in the burgh be in forfaute of brede or ale [sit in forisfacto de pane vel cervisia]…. And gif he faltis twyis he sall be chastyte twyis for his forfaute.
1572. The Lamentatioun of Lady Scotland, 373, in Scot. Poems 16th C. (1801), II. 253.
| All thir foirfalts that I haue done reheirs, | |
| That lords, lairds, ladys & lawers dois exerce. |
2. Something to which the right is lost by the commission of a crime or fault; hence, a penal fine, a penalty for breach of contract or neglect of duty. Phr. To take (the) forfeit of, to pay (the) forfeit (lit. and fig.).
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 577, in Babees Bk. (1868), 318.
| Of þe lordes courtes and forfetis als, | |
| Wheþer þay ben ryȝt or þay ben fals. |
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxcix. 179. They taken the goodes … and lete hem calle his forfaytz.
1538. Fitzherb., Just. Peas, 38 b. The forfayt therof is al the pewter and brasse so cast and wrought.
1555. Watreman, Fardle Facions, I. v. 70. The forfect for non paiment of the lone, mought not bee aboue the double of the somme that was borowed.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 207.
| Shy. My deeds vpon my head, I craue the Law, | |
| The penaltie and forfeite of my bond. |
1625. Fletcher & Shirley, Nt. Walker, IV.
| Thou hast undone a faithful Gentleman, | |
| By taking forfeit of his Land. |
1713. Young, A Poem on the Last Day, II. (1757), 62.
| Life is a forfeit we must shortly pay; | |
| And where’s the mighty lucre of a day? |
1843. Lever, J. Hinton, xviii. To be free of the transaction, I this morning offered to pay half forfeit, and they refused me.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. viii. 543. It would have been well if they had not paid the forfeit incurred by many of those illustrious thinkers who have vainly attempted to stem the torrent of human credulity.
b. transf. of a person.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. ii. 167. Claudio, whom heere you haue no warrant to execute, is no greater forfeit to the Law, than Angelo who hath sentenc’d him.
3. A trivial mulct or fine imposed, e.g., for breach of some rule or by-law in a tavern parlor, a club, etc. Also, in certain games, an article (usually something carried on the person) which a player gives up by way of penalty for making some mistake, and which he afterwards redeems by performing some ludicrous task.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., V. 323.
| But faults so countenanc’d, that the strong Statutes | |
| Stand like the forfeites in a Barbers shop, | |
| As much in mocke, as marke. |
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. x. 395. He slights any Synod if condemning his opinions; esteeming the decisions thereof no more than the forfeits in a barbers shop, where a Gentlemans pleasure is all the obligation to pay, and none are bound except they will bind themselves.
1660–1. Pepys, Diary, 4 Feb. And here I took pleasure to take forfeits of the ladies who would not do their duty by kissing of them.
1714. Gay, Trivia, II. 175.
| The thoughtless Wits shall frequent Forfeits pay, | |
| Who ’gainst the Centry’s Box discharge their Tea. |
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., ii. Walking out, drinking tea, country dances, and forfeits, shortened the rest of the day, without the assistance of cards, as I hated all manner of gaming, except backgammon, at which my old friend and I sometimes took a two-penny hit.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxix. I knew the stake which I risked; we played the game boldly, and the forfeit shall be paid manfully.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxviii. Here we wait, until the clock strikes twelve, to usher Christmas in, and beguile the time with forfeits and old stories.
1865. J. Hatton, Bitter Sweets, II. xiv. 217. In the games of forfeit, which preceded the ball, he played his part with such ingenuity and cleverness, that Mrs. Massey whispered to Paul, ‘Young Grey is really the life and soul of the party.’
4. [from the vb.] The losing of something by way of penalty: = FORFEITURE.
To set to forfalt (Sc. Law): to attaint, outlaw.
α. 1393. Gower, Conf., III. 177.
| To yive bothe and to withdrawe | |
| The forfet of a mannes lif. |
1423. Jas. I., Kingis Q., cxxix. Vertu sall be the cause of thy forfet.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., IV. i. 212.
| I will be bound to pay it ten times ore, | |
| On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart. |
1629. Milton, Nativity, i.
| That he our deadly forfeit should release, | |
| And with his Father work us a perpetual peace. |
1716. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to C’tess Bristol, 22 Aug. Led by a vain expence into debts, that they could clear no other way but by the forfeit of their honour.
β. 1536. Bellenden, Cron. Scot., XIII. xv. Eftir his forfait, the constabulary wes geuyn to the Hayis of Arroll.
1570. G. Buchanan, Chamæleon, Wks. (1892), 46. Ye parliament set to forfalt sic lordis as had fled in Ingland.
