Definitions for betray
bɪˈtreɪbe·tray

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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.

   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.

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.

   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.

3. betrayverb

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

   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.

4. betrayverb

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

   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.

5. betrayverb

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

   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.

6. betrayverb

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

   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.

7. betrayverb

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

   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.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

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

1. • Deceive
   • Disclose
   • Let Down

How to pronounce betray?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

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. H. G. Mendelson:

   Silence will not betray your thoughts but the expression on your face will. Humor has a hundred faces tragedy only a few.

2. Robert C. Pollock:

   Love God and trust your feelings. Be loyal to them. Don't betray them.

3. William Shakespeare:

   And oftentimes, to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betray's In deepest consequence.

4. Pavel Durov:

   We had a simple choice: Either betray our values or keep our values and leave Russia to try to do something new.

5. Alexander Hamilton:

   If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense...

Images & Illustrations of betray

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