What does BETRAY mean?

Definitions for BETRAY
bɪˈtreɪbe·tray

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word BETRAY.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. betray, bewrayverb

    reveal unintentionally

    "Her smile betrayed her true feelings"

  2. betray, sellverb

    deliver to an enemy by treachery

    "Judas sold Jesus"; "The spy betrayed his country"

  3. fail, betrayverb

    disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake

    "His sense of smell failed him this time"; "His strength finally failed him"; "His children failed him in the crisis"

  4. cheat on, cheat, cuckold, betray, wanderverb

    be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage

    "She cheats on her husband"; "Might her husband be wandering?"

  5. denounce, tell on, betray, give away, rat, grass, shit, shop, snitch, stagverb

    give away information about somebody

    "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam"

  6. deceive, betray, lead astrayverb

    cause someone to believe an untruth

    "The insurance company deceived me when they told me they were covering my house"

Wiktionary

  1. betrayverb

    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.

  2. betrayverb

    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.

  3. betrayverb

    To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known.

  4. betrayverb

    To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally; to bewray.

  5. betrayverb

    To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin.

  6. betrayverb

    To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon.

  7. betrayverb

    To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed.

  8. Etymology: From betrayen, betraien, equivalent to, from traïr, from tradere, present active infinitive of trado. In some senses, merged with or influenced by bewraien, bewreyen, see bewray. Compare also traitor, treason, tradition.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To BETRAYverb

    Etymology: trahir, Fr.

    If ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 1 Chron. xii. 17.

    Jesus said unto them, the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. Matt. xvii. 22.

    For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth. Wisdom, xvii. 12.

    He was not to be won, either by promise or reward, to betray the city. Richard Knolles, History of the Turks.

    Be swift to hear, but be cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. Isaac Watts, Improvement of the Mind.

    His abilities created in him great confidence; and this was like enough to betray him to great errours, and many enemies. Charles I .

    The bright genius is ready to be so forward, as often betrays itself into great errours in judgment. Isaac Watts.

    The Veian and the Gabian tow’rs shall fall,
    And one promiscuous ruin cover all;
    Nor, after length of years, a stone betray
    The place where once the very ruins lay. Joseph Addison, on Italy.

Wikipedia

  1. betray

    Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Often betrayal is the act of supporting a rival group, or it is a complete break from previously decided upon or presumed norms by one party from the others. Someone who betrays others is commonly called a traitor or betrayer. Betrayal is also a commonly used literary element, also used in other fiction like films and TV series, and is often associated with or used as a plot twist.

ChatGPT

  1. betray

    To betray is to act disloyally or unfaithfully towards someone or something by revealing confidential information, breaking trust, or failing to fulfill a duty. It can involve deception, treachery, or violation of someone's confidence or trust. Betrayal can also refer to revealing or exhibiting something unintentionally, like betraying one's emotions or feelings.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Betrayverb

    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

  2. Betrayverb

    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

  3. Betrayverb

    to violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known

  4. Betrayverb

    to disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally

  5. Betrayverb

    to mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin

  6. Betrayverb

    to lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon

  7. Betrayverb

    to show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Betray

    be-trā′, v.t. to give up treacherously: to disclose in breach of trust: to let go basely or weakly: to deceive the innocent and trustful, to seduce: to discover or show: to show signs of.—ns. Betray′al, act of betraying; Betray′er, a traitor, the seducer of a trustful girl. [Pfx. be-, and O. Fr. traïr (Fr. trahir)—L. tradĕre, to deliver up.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer

  1. betray

    To deliver perfidiously any place or body of troops into the hands of the enemy. To discover that which has been intrusted to secrecy.

Matched Categories

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How to say BETRAY in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of BETRAY in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of BETRAY in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of BETRAY in a Sentence

  1. Assyrian Proverb:

    I need not fear my enemies because the most they can do is attack me. I need not fear my friends because the most they can do is betray me. But I have much to fear from people who are indifferent.

  2. Emily Thornberry:

    Under a Labour foreign office, I can ... guarantee that there will be no indulgence of human rights abuses because they are committed by less powerful countries or by countries that call themselves socialists but who by their actions betray every socialist ideal.

  3. Janvier Chouteu-Chando:

    Ours is a world where some people are destined to triumph even in defeat, especially if they do not betray themselves.”

  4. J. R. R. Tolkien, Mandos, The Silmarillion, Of the Flight of the Noldor:

    Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and ever snatch away the very treasures that they have sworn to pursue.

  5. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.Zelensky:

    The world has seen that Ukrainians are powerful, Ukrainians are courageous, they're on their native land, and they're never going to give it up to anyone. They will never betray it.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for BETRAY

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"BETRAY." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/BETRAY>.

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