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Forfeit Quotes

What people stand to lose, and why.

This set ranges from defendants who forfeit constitutional protections by pleading guilty to a 19th-century religious writer arguing that enslaved people had done nothing to forfeit their freedom. See Constitutional Rights quotes for closely related legal thinking.

If once you forfeit the confidence of your fellow-citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem.

Abraham Lincoln

Though we may not necessarily forfeit our lives in service to our God, we can certainly demonstrate our love for Him by how well we serve Him.

Quotes by Thomas S. Monson

These Scriptures, therefore, are infinitely far from justifying the slavery under consideration; for it cannot be made to appear that one in a thousand of these slaves has done any thing to forfeit his own liberty.

Quotes by Samuel Hopkins

I would rather not be a king than to forfeit my liberty.

Quotes by Phaedrus

Alone Quotes

More than 90 percent of criminal cases are never tried before a jury. Most people charged with crimes forfeit their constitutional rights and plead guilty.

Quotes by Michelle Alexander

Were I ever alone in the dock, I would not want to be arraigned before our flawed tribunals, knowing my freedom could be forfeit as a result of political pressures. I would prefer a fair trial, under the shadow of...

Quotes by Michael Gove

I don't really like politics, to be honest. But it's other people making decisions about my life and my country and my child's education... I wish we didn't have so much money in politics, but that's not the world we...

Quotes by Laura Ricketts

Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay...

Quotes by James E. Faust

Players must understand that if they go after more lucrative contracts, then they forfeit their chances of playing in the national team.

Quotes by Clarence Seedorf

Brainy Quotes

I hate that tabloid idea of anybody who is famous having to forfeit their privacy.

Quotes by Caitlin Moran

But on those occasions when I do strongly disagree with the Democrats and I don't say anything, I think I forfeit my right to have people pay attention to me when I say the things that I don't like about...

Quotes by Barney Frank

We forfeit three-quarters of ourselves in order to be like other people.

Quotes by Arthur Schopenhauer

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'forfeit' mean in these quotes?
It's used mainly around giving up rights, freedom, or safety, whether by choice, legal process, or unjust pressure. The quotes range from religious duty to courtroom outcomes to a historical debate over slavery.
Is one of these quotes really defending slavery?
No — it's the opposite. That 19th-century religious passage argues that Scripture does not justify the slavery being discussed, and that virtually none of the people enslaved had done anything to lose their rights. It's a piece of historical abolitionist argument, not an endorsement.
What does the quote about criminal cases mean?
It points out that most people facing charges plead guilty rather than go to trial, effectively forfeiting constitutional protections like a jury hearing along the way. See Constitutional Rights quotes for more on this legal theme.
Is there a quote about religious duty to God?
Yes, one speaker reflects on how someone might not literally forfeit their life for their faith but can still show devotion through consistent service. It reframes forfeiture as a spectrum rather than an all-or-nothing act.
What about political pressure and fair trials?
One quote imagines being tried alone under a flawed system and worries that freedom could be forfeited due to politics rather than facts. Browse Confidence quotes or Alone quotes for related reflections on standing firm under pressure.

Others use the word more personally, weighing what someone might forfeit for faith, safety, or a fair trial. Browse Alone quotes or Confidence quotes for related reflections on standing your ground.