betray */*/

betray */*/
UK [bɪˈtreɪ] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "betray":
present tense I/you/we/they betray he/she/it betrays present participle betraying past tense betrayed past participle betrayed
1)
a) if you betray your country, or if you betray someone who needs your support, you deliberately do something that harms them or helps their opponents

In wartime many people accused of betraying their country were executed.

She realized that one of her friends must have betrayed her.

b) if you betray someone's trust, you do harm to them when they have trusted you

They felt their assistant had betrayed their trust in publishing his diaries.

2) if you betray your beliefs or principles, you do something that does not agree with them

She had betrayed all her beliefs and told a lie.

3) to show something or give a sign of something

Rabbits betray their presence with fresh soil outside their burrow.

a) if you betray a feeling or quality that you want to hide or that you are not aware of, your words or face make it clear to people

His comments betray a lack of understanding.

The woman's face betrayed no emotion.

b) if you betray a secret, you tell it to people who do not have the right to know it

Derived word:
betrayer
noun countable
Word forms "betrayer":
singular betrayer plural betrayers

English dictionary. 2014.

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  • Betray — Be*tray (b[ e]*tr[=a] ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Betrayed} ( tr[=a]d ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Betraying}.] [OE. betraien, bitraien; pref. be + OF. tra[ i]r to betray, F. trahir, fr. L. tradere. See {Traitor}.] 1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • betray — (v.) late 13c., bitrayen mislead, deceive, betray, from BE (Cf. be ) + obsolete M.E. tray, from O.Fr. traine betrayal, deception, deceit, from trair (Mod.Fr. trahir) betray, deceive, from L. tradere hand over, from trans across (see …   Etymology dictionary

  • betray — [v1] be disloyal abandon, be unfaithful, bite the hand that feeds you*, blow the whistle*, bluff, break faith, break promise, break trust, break with, commit treason, cross, deceive, deliver up*, delude, desert, double cross, finger*, forsake, go …   New thesaurus

  • betray — [bē trā′, bitrā′] vt. [ME bitraien < be , intens. + traien, betray < OFr trair < L tradere, to hand over: see TREASON] 1. a) to help the enemy of (one s country, cause, etc.); be a traitor to b) to deliver or expose to an enemy… …   English World dictionary

  • betray — I (disclose) verb acknowledge, admit, air, aperire, avow, bare, bear witness against, bring into the open, bring to light, come clean, confess, declare, detegere, divulge, double cross, expose, give away, give utterance to, impart, inform, inform …   Law dictionary

  • betray — 1 mislead, delude, *deceive, beguile, double cross Analogous words: trap, entrap, snare, ensnare (see CATCH): *dupe, trick, befool, hoodwink, gull 2 discover, *reveal, disclose, divulge, tell Analogous words: manifest, evidence, evince, * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • betray — ► VERB 1) act treacherously towards (a person, country, etc.) by revealing information to or otherwise aiding an enemy. 2) be disloyal to. 3) unintentionally reveal; be evidence of. DERIVATIVES betrayal noun betrayer noun. ORIGIN from Old French… …   English terms dictionary

  • betray — be|tray [bıˈtreı] v [T] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(friends)¦ 2¦(country)¦ 3¦(emotions)¦ 4¦(truth)¦ 5 betray your beliefs/principles/ideals etc ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1200 1300; Origin: tray to betray (13 16 centuries), from Old French traïr, from Latin tradere; TRAITOR] …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • betray — be|tray [ bı treı ] verb transitive ** 1. ) if you betray your country, or you betray someone who needs your support, you deliberately do something that harms them or helps their opponents: In wartime many people accused of betraying their… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • betray — [[t]bɪtre͟ɪ[/t]] betrays, betraying, betrayed 1) VERB If you betray someone who loves or trusts you, your actions hurt and disappoint them. [V n] When I tell someone I will not betray his confidence I keep my word... [V n] The President betrayed… …   English dictionary

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