Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FOR'FEIT-URE, n.

1. The act of forfeiting; the losing of some right, privilege, estate, honor, office or effects, by an offense, crime, breach of condition or other act. In regard to property, forfeiture is a loss of the right to possess, but not generally the actual possession, which is to be transferred by some subsequent process. In the feudal system, a forfeiture of lands gave him in reversion or remainder a right to enter.
2. That which is forfeited; an estate forfeited; a fine or mulct. The prince enriched his treasury by fines and forfeitures.