Meaning & Definition of word "Betray"

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    Betray

    /bɪˈtreɪ/

    verb:

    • 1. to be disloyal to; to reveal secrets or intentions of someone to a hostile party.
      • Example: He felt that his best friend would betray him by sharing his private thoughts.
    • 2. to reveal or disclose something unintentionally.
      • Example: Her nervous laughter seemed to betray her excitement about the surprise.
    • 3. to deceive or mislead someone; to fail to fulfill the hopes or expectations of someone.
      • Example: The team's poor performance in the finals betrayed the hard work they had put in during the season.
    • 4. to violate the trust of someone.
      • Example: She accused him of betraying their agreement by going behind her back.

    Etymology

    Middle English, from Old French 'betrayer', from Latin 'tradere'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    betray someone's trust:

    To act in a way that breaks someone's trust.

    betray one's country:

    To commit treason.

    betray a secret:

    To disclose a secret that was meant to be kept.

    Related Words

    treachery:

    The betrayal of trust.

    deceit:

    The action of deceiving someone.

    disloyalty:

    The quality of not being loyal.

    Slang Meanings of betray

    Meaning: Backstab

    Example Sentence: He totally backstabbed me by revealing my plan.

    Meaning: Sell out

    Example Sentence: She sold out her friends for fame.