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Waiver vs Forfeit - What's the difference?

waiver | forfeit |

As nouns the difference between waiver and forfeit

is that waiver is the act of waiving, or not insisting on, some right, claim, or privilege while forfeit is a penalty for or consequence of a misdemeanor.

As verbs the difference between waiver and forfeit

is that waiver is while 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.

waiver

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of waiving, or not insisting on, some right, claim, or privilege.
  • (legal) A legal document releasing some requirement, such as waiving a right (giving it up) or a waiver of liability (agreeing to hold someone blameless). Also used for such a form even before it is filled out and signed.
  • I had to sign a waiver when I went skydiving, agreeing not to sue even if something went wrong.
  • Something that releases a person from a requirement.
  • I needed a waiver from the department head to take the course because I didn't technically have the prerequisite courses.
    I needed a waiver from the zoning board for the house because the lot was so small, but they let me build because it was next to the park.

    Derived terms

    * waivered

    See also

    * ("waiver" on Wikipedia)

    Verb

    (head)
  • See waive.
  • Usage notes

    * Sometimes used in puns involving wavering]] about [[waiver
  • noun, waivers, the noun, especially in newspaper headlines for sports stories.
  • Anagrams

    *

    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