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Translate files Betray
/bɪˈtreɪ/
Meaning & Definition
verb
to be disloyal to; to reveal secrets or intentions of someone to a hostile party.
He felt that his best friend would betray him by sharing his private thoughts.
to reveal or disclose something unintentionally.
Her nervous laughter seemed to betray her excitement about the surprise.
to deceive or mislead someone; to fail to fulfill the hopes or expectations of someone.
The team's poor performance in the finals betrayed the hard work they had put in during the season.
to violate the trust of someone.
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
Backstab
He totally backstabbed me by revealing my plan.
Sell out
She sold out her friends for fame.