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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Forfalt, Forfault, v. Also: forfaltt, -fallt, -failt; foirfallt, forefalt; forfaut, foir-, fore-, fourfault. [ME. forfaite, -fayte, -fete, with assimilation to falt, etc., as in the noun.]

1. intr. To do amiss; to commit a fault. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 271.
Quhen thai forfalt, thai are fane 1467 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 27.
Quhilk of thir that forfaltis till utheris … in tym to cum sall … pay to Saynt Nicholace werk xx lib. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 116/22.
Thocht auld Adam forfautit agane thi maieste, … he humylit him c1475 Wall. (1570) ix. 418.
He … Gart cry thame fre … And neuer agane forfalt into sic thing c1460 De Reg. Princ. (M) 272.
Thay forfalt bayth to God and thair office

2. tr. To find (one) in the wrong; to condemn. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1024.
For fiue schillingis I wald not anis forfault [H. forfaut] him

3. To lose the right to possess or to hold; to render oneself liable to be legally deprived of (land, etc.); to incur the confiscation of.(a) 1472 Reg. Cupar A. I. 165.
And falȝand at thir condecions be nocht kepit he sal tyne and forfaut his tak 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 349 b.
God … agan quhom that peple fautit and forfautit thar land(b) 1510 Buccleuch Mun. II. 121.
Gif ane termes payment being askit be the saidis Robert, Johne or thare factouris rynnis vnpait … thai sall forfalt and tyne thare said takkis 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 527/2.
To heir … thaim decernit to haue forfaltit and tynt thare propirte … of the saidis landis for alienatioun 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 5.
Gif the Quene of Scottis sall brek ony [of the articles] … then scho shall forfalt hir state to hir sone 1593 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 88.
Gif thair be ony land within burgh forfaltit throw ony ressonabill caus 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 13.
They sall tine and forfalt all their cattell and other moveable gudes 1616 Rep. Mar & Kellie MSS. 74.
The mariage [being] contractitt, the pairtie refusing [is] to forfaltt the aine half of the dourrie(c) 1557 Crim. Trials I. 399.
The Justice depute … decernis the said Nicholl to haue tynt and foirfaltit … his libertie and fredome of this burch 1561 Reg. Privy S. MS. XXX. 71.
The said Alexander hes tint and foirfaltit his foirland of Netherfeild c1575 Balfour Pract. 606.
The said offendar to foirfalt and lose his cause and matter 1596 Conv. Burghs I. 494.
The last takisman haid in effect foirfaltit his tak(d) 1568 Lanark B. Rec. 42.
Quha dois in the contrar … [are] till forfault thair guddis 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xx. 40.
Our cumbersomest kirk-buriers … , who … hes for-faulted their freedome of all sort of laire 1665 Justiciary Rec. I. 125.
[He] is decerned to forfault and ammitt his moveable goods 1699 Misc. Maitl. C. II. 233.
Under the penaltie of forfaulting all the coppies to the petitioner 1718 Glasgow B. Rec. IV. 13.
They shall forfault, amitt and lose their privilege

b. To take as forfeited; to confiscate. 1533 Boece ix. xix. 339 b.
Eugenye … pynit Murdac … forfaltin all his gudis to the rurale inhabitantis c1650 Spalding II. 391.
Neuertheless, … his life is takin; and his estait foirfaultit 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 153.
What of the saids barrells are found vnsufficient are to be forfaulted for the vse of the poor

4. To subject or condemn (a person) to forfeiture or confiscation of estates, etc.(a) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 235/26.
In to the quhilk parliament thar was forfaltit schir Alex^r Levinstoun 1531 Bell. Boece II. 259.
The Thane of Cawder wes disherist and forfaltit of his landis, for … lese majeste 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 175.
He … was, within schort space, Forfaltit and flemit 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 46.
The parliament set to forfalt sic lordis as had fled in Ingland 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 127.
Thai wer forfaltit of thair lyff 1592 Crim. Trials I. ii. 325.
The laird of Spot his overlord is forfaltit 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 153.
Our leevings & landis war al disponit to vthers & wee forfaltit or atteintit(b) 1542 Lynd. Wks. V. 609.
The armis of thame quhilkis bene foirfaltit and banist for crymes of lesemaieste 1558-66 Knox II. 381.
Ellevin Baronis and Lairdis … war that day foirfalted 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 76.
The quenis majestie come to the tolbuith … and foirfaltit George erle of Huntlie a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 143.
The Lordis of Edinburghe … foirfaultit Mathew Earl of Lennox, … and a number of utheris c1650 Spalding II. 271.
Thay war both foirfaltit at the cross of Edinbrugh for thair not compeirans(c) 1566 Crim. Trials I. 478.
The quhilkis Lords sould have been forfaulted in ane Parliament quhilk wes halden at Edinburgh 1584 Gray Lett. & P. .
The names of such as are presently forfaultid 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 66.
Swa that he and his heires sould be perpetuallie forfaulted in all time cumming 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 156.
By thir assisers they wer forfaulted 1689 Acts XII. 61/2.
By causeing persew and forfault severall persones upon old and absolut lawes