Definitions for betray
bɪˈtreɪbe·tray

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

1. betray, bewray(verb)

   reveal unintentionally

   "Her smile betrayed her true feelings"

2. betray, sell(verb)

   deliver to an enemy by treachery

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

3. fail, betray(verb)

   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, wander(verb)

   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, stag(verb)

   give away information about somebody

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

6. deceive, betray, lead astray(verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. betray(Verb)

   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. Betray(verb)

   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. Betray(verb)

   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. Betray(verb)

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

4. Betray(verb)

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

5. Betray(verb)

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

6. Betray(verb)

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

7. Betray(verb)

   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.

How to pronounce betray?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

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. Dudley Police Chief Steven Wojnar:

   We’re not talking about the great majority of teachers who are hard-working and dedicated and care about the kids. We’re talking about the few who will betray their trust. If you know you could be charged with a crime, it could be a deterrent.

2. Barack Obama:

   Slamming the door in the face of refugees would betray our deepest values. That's not who we are. And it's not what we're going to do.

3. 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.

4. Stephen Miller:

   Fundamentally, you're still going to have the same basic policy outcome for the country, these plainly-worded statements, made in the months leading up to and contemporaneous with the signing of the Executive Order, and, in many cases, made by the Executive himself, betray the Executive Order's stated secular purpose.

5. Jesse Lilley:

   They are going to undo that Pandora's box and they don't know what is going to come out, betray them and then say we are going to have another election or another vote? People will just not bother. It will cause problems for the next twenty years.

Images & Illustrations of betray

Popularity rank by frequency of use