Definition of Betray

1. Verb. Reveal unintentionally. "Her smile betrayed her true feelings"


2. Verb. Deliver to an enemy by treachery. "Sam cannot betray Sue "; "The spy betrayed his country"
Exact synonyms: Sell
Related verbs: Sell
Specialized synonyms: Double Cross
Generic synonyms: Cozen, Deceive, Delude, Lead On
Derivative terms: Betrayal, Betrayer

3. Verb. Disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake. "His children failed him in the crisis"
Exact synonyms: Fail
Generic synonyms: Disappoint, Let Down

4. Verb. Be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage. "Sam cannot betray Sue "; "Might her husband be wandering?"
Exact synonyms: Cheat, Cheat On, Cuckold, Wander
Generic synonyms: Cozen, Deceive, Delude, Lead On
Specialized synonyms: Two-time, Fool Around, Play Around
Derivative terms: Cuckold

5. Verb. Give away information about somebody. "He told on his classmate who had cheated on the exam"
Exact synonyms: Denounce, Give Away, Grass, Rat, Shit, Shop, Snitch, Stag, Tell On
Generic synonyms: Inform
Specialized synonyms: Sell Out
Derivative terms: Betrayer, Rat, Ratter, Ratting, Shit, Shit, Snitch, Snitcher

6. Verb. Cause someone to believe an untruth. "The insurance company deceived me when they told me they were covering my house"

Definition of Betray

1. v. t. 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.

Definition of Betray

1. 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. ¹

2. 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. ¹

3. Verb. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known. ¹

4. Verb. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally; to bewray. ¹

5. Verb. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin. ¹

6. Verb. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon. ¹

7. Verb. To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Betray

1. to aid an enemy of [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Betray

betold
beton
betongue
betonies
betons
betony
betook
betorn
betoss
betossed
betosses
betossing
betow
betpakdalite
betrap
betray (current term)
betrayable
betrayal
betrayals
betrayed
betrayer
betrayers
betrayest
betrayeth
betraying
betrayingly
betrayment
betrayments
betrays
betread

Literary usage of Betray

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper: Including the Series by Alexander Chalmers, Samuel Johnson (1810)
"... jilted, and betray'd, I stamp, 1 tear, I rave; Capricious, light, injurious maid, I'll be no more thy slave, I'll rend thy image from my heart, ..."

2. The Golden Book of Marcus Aurelius by Marcus Aurelius, Meric Casaubon (1898)
"... willing of him- selfe without any compulsion to fit and accommodate himselfe to his proper lot and portion. The true make no conscience to betray their ..."

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