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betray - 4 dictionary results
be⋅tray
[bi-trey]
–verb (used with object)
| 1. | to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty: Benedict Arnold betrayed his country. |
| 2. | to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust. |
| 3. | to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends. |
| 4. | to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence: to betray a secret. |
| 5. | to reveal unconsciously (something one would preferably conceal): Her nervousness betrays her insecurity. |
| 6. | to show or exhibit; reveal; disclose: an unfeeling remark that betrays his lack of concern. |
| 7. | to deceive, misguide, or corrupt: a young lawyer betrayed by political ambitions into irreparable folly. |
| 8. | to seduce and desert. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To betray
be·tray (bĭ-trā') tr.v. be·trayed, be·tray·ing, be·trays
[Middle English bitrayen : bi-, be- + trayen, to betray (from Old French trair, from Latin trādere, to hand over; see tradition).] be·tray'al n., be·tray'er n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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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 treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly; as, an officer betrayed the city. Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. --Matt. xvii. 22. 2. To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause. But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. --Johnson. 3. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known. Willing to serve or betray any government for hire. --Macaulay. 4. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally. Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. --T. Watts. 5. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin. Genius . . . often betrays itself into great errors. --T. Watts. 6. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon. 7. To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed. All the names in the country betray great antiquity. --Bryant.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : betray
Spanish:
traicionar,
German:
verraten,
Japanese:
裏切る
betray
c.1275, bitrayen "mislead, deceive, betray," from M.E. be- + O.Fr. traien, from L. tradere "hand over," from trans- "across" + dare "to give" (see date (1)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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