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Forfeit vs Loss - What's the difference?

forfeit | loss |

As nouns the difference between forfeit and loss

is that forfeit is a penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor while loss is an instance of losing, such as a defeat.

As a verb forfeit

is to suffer the loss of something by wrongdoing or non-compliance.

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

    loss

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Noun

    (es)
  • an instance of losing, such as a defeat
  • The match ended in their first loss of the season.
  • The result of an alteration in a function or characteristic of the body, or of its previous integrity.
  • Loss of an arm ; loss of weight ; loss of cognitive functions ; loss of appetite.
  • the hurtful condition of having lost something or someone
  • We mourn his loss .
  • (in the plural) casualties, especially physically eliminated victims of violent conflict
  • The battle was won, but losses were great.
  • (financial) the sum an entity loses on balance
  • ''The sum of expenditures and taxes minus total income is a loss , when this difference is positive.
  • destruction, ruin
  • ''It was a terrible crash: both cars were total losses
  • (engineering) electricity of kinetic power expended without doing useful work
  • The inefficiency of many old-fashioned power plants exceeds 60% loss''' before the subsequent ' losses during transport over the grid

    Usage notes

    * We often use make' or ' take a loss. See

    Antonyms

    * gain * win * (financial) profit

    Derived terms

    * loss leader * loss ratio * at a loss * for a loss

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----