Dictionary

betray

verb be·tray \bi-ˈtrā, bē-\

: to give information about (a person, group, country, etc.) to an enemy

: to hurt (someone who trusts you, such as a friend or relative) by not giving help or by doing something morally wrong

: to show (something, such as a feeling or desire) without wanting or trying to

Full Definition of BETRAY

transitive verb
1
:  to lead astray; especially :  seduce
2
:  to deliver to an enemy by treachery
3
:  to fail or desert especially in time of need <betrayed his family>
4
a :  to reveal unintentionally <betray one's true feelings>
b :  show, indicate
c :  to disclose in violation of confidence <betray a secret>
intransitive verb
:  to prove false
be·tray·al \-ˈtrā(-ə)l\ noun
be·tray·er \-ˈtrā-ər\ noun
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Origin of BETRAY

Middle English, from be- + trayen to betray, from Anglo-French trahir, from Latin tradere — more at traitor
First Known Use: 13th century

Related to BETRAY

Synonyms
backstab, cross, double-cross, sell (out), two-time, go back on, sell down the river, stab in the back
Antonyms
stand by

Synonym Discussion of BETRAY

reveal, disclose, divulge, tell, betray mean to make known what has been or should be concealed. reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason <divine will as revealed in sacred writings>. disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret <candidates must disclose their financial assets>. divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence <refused to divulge an anonymous source>. tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information <told them what he had overheard>. betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure <a blush that betrayed her embarrassment>.

Rhymes with BETRAY

abbé, affray, agley, airplay, airway, aisleway, all-day, allay, allée, Angers, Anhui, archway, array, ashtray, assay, astray, Augier, away, aweigh, backstay, ballet, base pay, bat ray, beignet, belay, beltway, benday, beret, bewray, bidet, bikeway, birthday, Biscay, Bizet, blasé, bobstay, Bombay, Bossuet, bouchée, bouclé, boule, bouquet, Bourget, bourrée, breezeway, Bouvet, Broadway, buffet, byplay, byway, cachet, café, cahier, Cambay, Cathay, causeway, chaîné, chalet, chambray, chassé, child's play, ciré, cliché, congé, convey, co-pay, Corday, corvée, coudé, coupé, crawlway, crochet, croquet, crossway, cube, curé, cy pres, DA, daresay, D-day, death ray, decay, deejay, defray, delay, dengue, dismay, display, distrait, DJ, donnée, doomsday, doorway, dossier, downplay, dragée, driveway, duvet, Earl Grey, embay, épée, essay, estray, Ewe, fair play, fairway, Feuillet, field day, filé, filet, fillet, fireclay, fishway, flambé, flight pay, floodway, flyway, folkway, footway, foray, force play, forebay, foreplay, forestay, formée, forte, fouetté, foul play, Fouquet, four-way, fourchée, foyer, franglais, frappé, freeway, Friday, frieze, fumet, gainsay, Galway, gamay, gangway, gateway, gelée, give way, glacé, godet, gourmet, Green Bay, greenway, guideway, gunplay, hair spray, halfway, hallway, Hannay, harm's way, hatchway, headway, hearsay, Hebei, Hefei, heyday, highway, hold sway, homestay, hooray, horseplay, Hubei, in play, in re, inlay, inveigh, Islay, issei, jackstay, James Bay, jennet, jeté, Jetway, Jolliet, keyway, Kobe, koine, kouprey, lamé, laneway, lay day, leeway, lifeway, Lomé, Lord's day, lwei, lycée, M-day, maguey, mainstay, make hay, Malay, malgré, man-day, Mande, Manet, manqué, margay, massé, match play, maté, May Day, Medway, melee, meze, midday, midway, Midway, Millay, Millet, mislay, misplay, moiré, Monday, Monet, Mornay, name day, Niamey, nisei, noonday, Norway, nosegay, obey, OK, olé, ombré, one-way, osprey, Otway, outlay, outré, outstay, outweigh, oyez, PA, parfait, parkway, parlay, parquet, partway, passé, pâté, pathway, pavé, payday, pearl gray, per se, pince-nez, pipe clay, piqué, piquet, pith ray, PK, plié, plissé, pommée, Pompeii, portray, prepay, projet, pulque, puree, purvey, quale, Quesnay, raceway, Rahway, railway, rappee, red bay, relay, repay, replay, risqué, roadway, Roget, role-play, ropeway, rosé, rosebay, Roubaix, roué, routeway, runway, sachet, saint's day, Salé, sansei, sashay, sauté, screenplay, scrub jay, seaway, Shark Bay, shar-pei, shipway, short-day, sick bay, sick day, sick pay, sideway, skyway, slideway, slipway, sluiceway, soigné, soiree, someday, someway, soothsay, soufflé, speedway, spillway, squeeze play, stairway, sternway, stingray, straightway, strathspey, stroke play, subway, Sunday, survey, sweet bay, swordplay, tea tray, tempeh, thoughtway, thruway, Thursday, tideway, today, Tokay, tollway, Torbay, touché, toupee, trackway, tramway, Tuesday, Twelfth Day, two-way, unlay, unsay, valet, V-day, veejay, vide, visé, Vouvray, walkway, waylay, Wednesday, weekday, white way, windway, wood ray, wordplay, workday
BETRAYAL Defined for Kids

betray

verb be·tray \bi-ˈtrā\
be·trayedbe·tray·ing

Definition of BETRAY for Kids

1
:  to give over to an enemy by treason or treachery <betray a fort>
2
:  to be unfaithful to <betray a friend> <betrayed our trust>
3
:  to reveal or show without meaning to <betray fear>
4
:  to tell in violation of a trust <betray a secret>

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