Legal Dictionary
Main Entry:
trea·sonPronunciation:
'trEz-&nounFunction:
nounEtymology: Anglo-French
treison crime of violence against a person to whom allegiance is owed, literally, betrayal, from Old French
traïson, from
traïr to betray, from Latin
tradere to hand over, surrender
: the offense of attempting to overthrow the government of one's country or of assisting its enemies in war;
specifically : the act of levying war against the United States or adhering to or giving aid and comfort to its enemies by one who owes it allegiance —
trea·son·ous /-&s/ adjective