Forfeit vs Handicap - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between forfeit and handicap

is that forfeit is a penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor while handicap is something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.

As verbs the difference between forfeit and handicap

is that forfeit is to suffer the loss of something by wrongdoing or non-compliance while handicap is to encumber with a handicap in any contest.

As an adjective forfeit

is lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.

forfeit

English

Noun

(en noun)

A penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor.

That he our deadly forfeit should release'' (John Milton, ''On the Morning of Christ's Nativity , 1629)

A thing forfeited; that which is taken from somebody in requital of a misdeed committed; that which is lost, or the right to which is alienated, by a crime, breach of contract, etc.

He who murders pays the forfeit of his own life.

* Shakespeare

Thy slanders I forgive; and therewithal / Remit thy other forfeits .

Something deposited and redeemable by a sportive fine as part of a game.

* Goldsmith

Country dances and forfeits shortened the rest of the day.

(obsolete, rare) Injury; wrong; mischief.

* Ld. Berners

to seek arms upon people and country that never did us any forfeit

Verb

(en verb)

To suffer the loss of something by wrongdoing or non-compliance

He forfeited his last chance of an early release from jail by repeatedly attacking another inmate.

To lose a contest, game, match, or other form of competition by voluntary withdrawal, by failing to attend or participate, or by violation of the rules

Because only nine players were present, the football team was forced to forfeit the game.

To be guilty of a misdeed; to be criminal; to transgress.

To fail to keep an obligation.

* Shakespeare

I will have the heart of him if he forfeit .

Usage notes

* Very rarely, forfeit is used as the past tense form and past participle (i.e., the past tense forms and the present tense form are homographs).

Synonyms

* (lose a contest) capitulate, surrender * (voluntarily give up) forgo, withgo

Derived terms

* forfeits * nonforfeited * nonforfeiting * nonforfeiture

Adjective

(-)

Lost or alienated for an offense or crime; liable to penal seizure.

* Shakespeare

thy wealth being forfeit to the state

* Emerson

to tread the forfeit paradise

English irregular verbs English verbs with base form identical to past participle English words not following the I before E except after C rule

handicap

English

Noun

(en noun)

Something that prevents, hampers, or hinders.

*:Captain Edward Carlisle; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.

An allowance of a certain amount of time or distance in starting, granted in a race (or other contest of skill) to the competitor possessing disadvantages; or an additional weight or other hindrance imposed upon the one possessing advantages, in order to equalize, as much as possible, the chances of success.

(lb) The disadvantage itself, in particular physical or mental disadvantages of people.

A race, for horses or men, or any contest of agility, strength, or skill, in which there is an allowance of time, distance, weight, or other advantage, to equalize the chances of the competitors.

An old card game.

:(Samuel Pepys)

Derived terms

* Benghazi Handicap

Verb

(handicapp)

To encumber with a handicap in any contest.

(by extension) To place at disadvantage.

The candidate was heavily handicapped .

To estimate betting odds.

Grandpa Andy would buy the racing form the day ahead of time so he could handicap the race before he even arrived at the track.