Meaning & Definition of word "Betray"
to
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.