Meaning of "betray" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD BETRAY

From be- + trayen from Old French trair, from Latin trādere.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF BETRAY

betray  [bɪˈtreɪ]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF BETRAY

Betray is a verb.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb betray in English.

WHAT DOES BETRAY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Betrayal

Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. Often betrayal is the act of supporting a rival group, or it is a complete break from previously decided upon or presumed norms by one party from the others. Someone who betrays others is commonly called a traitor or betrayer. Betrayal is also a commonly used literary element and is often associated with or used as a plot twist.

Definition of betray in the English dictionary

The first definition of betray in the dictionary is to aid an enemy of ; be a traitor to. Other definition of betray is to hand over or expose treacherously to an enemy. Betray is also to disclose treacherously.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO BETRAY

PRESENT

Present

I betray

you betray

he/she/it betrays

we betray

you betray

they betray

Present continuous

I am betraying

you are betraying

he/she/it is betraying

we are betraying

you are betraying

they are betraying

Present perfect

I have betrayed

you have betrayed

he/she/it has betrayed

we have betrayed

you have betrayed

they have betrayed

Present perfect continuous

I have been betraying

you have been betraying

he/she/it has been betraying

we have been betraying

you have been betraying

they have been betraying

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I betrayed

you betrayed

he/she/it betrayed

we betrayed

you betrayed

they betrayed

Past continuous

I was betraying

you were betraying

he/she/it was betraying

we were betraying

you were betraying

they were betraying

Past perfect

I had betrayed

you had betrayed

he/she/it had betrayed

we had betrayed

you had betrayed

they had betrayed

Past perfect continuous

I had been betraying

you had been betraying

he/she/it had been betraying

we had been betraying

you had been betraying

they had been betraying

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will betray

you will betray

he/she/it will betray

we will betray

you will betray

they will betray

Future continuous

I will be betraying

you will be betraying

he/she/it will be betraying

we will be betraying

you will be betraying

they will be betraying

Future perfect

I will have betrayed

you will have betrayed

he/she/it will have betrayed

we will have betrayed

you will have betrayed

they will have betrayed

Future perfect continuous

I will have been betraying

you will have been betraying

he/she/it will have been betraying

we will have been betraying

you will have been betraying

they will have been betraying

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would betray

you would betray

he/she/it would betray

we would betray

you would betray

they would betray

Conditional continuous

I would be betraying

you would be betraying

he/she/it would be betraying

we would be betraying

you would be betraying

they would be betraying

Conditional perfect

I would have betray

you would have betray

he/she/it would have betray

we would have betray

you would have betray

they would have betray

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been betraying

you would have been betraying

he/she/it would have been betraying

we would have been betraying

you would have been betraying

they would have been betraying

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you betray
we let´s betray
you betray

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to betray

Past participle

betrayed

Present Participle

betraying

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «BETRAY»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «betray» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of betray

abandon · break with · desert · disclose · divulge · dob in · double-cross · evince · expose · forsake · give away · grass up · jilt · lay bare · let slip · manifest · put the finger on · reveal · sell down the river · sell out · shop · show · stab in the back · tell · uncover · unmask · walk out on

TRANSLATION OF BETRAY

Find out the translation of betray to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of betray from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «betray» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 背叛
• Translator English - Spanish: traicionar
• English: betray
• Translator English - Hindi: धोखा
• Translator English - Arabic: يَخونُ
• Translator English - Russian: предавать
• Translator English - Portuguese: trair
• Translator English - Bengali: গুপ্তরহস্য প্রকাশ করা
• Translator English - French: trahir
• Translator English - Malay: Mengkhianati
• Translator English - German: verraten
• Translator English - Japanese: 裏切る
• Translator English - Korean: 배신하다
• Translator English - Javanese: Ngelanggar
• Translator English - Vietnamese: phản bội
• Translator English - Tamil: காட்டிக்கொடு
• Translator English - Marathi: विश्वासघात करणे
• Translator English - Turkish: açığa vurmak
• Translator English - Italian: tradire
• Translator English - Polish: zdradzić
• Translator English - Ukrainian: зраджувати
• Translator English - Romanian: a trăda
• Translator English - Greek: προδίδω
• Translator English - Afrikaans: verraai
• Translator English - Swedish: förråda
• Translator English - Norwegian: forråde

10 QUOTES WITH «BETRAY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word betray.

1

Sarah Bernhardt

Once the curtain is raised, the actor is ceases to belong to himself. He belongs to his character, to his author, to his public. He must do the impossible to identify himself with the first, not to betray the second, and not to disappoint the third.

2

Michael Bloomberg

We would betray our values and play into our enemies' hands if we were to treat Muslims differently than anyone else. In fact, to cave to popular sentiment would be to hand a victory to the terrorists, and we should not stand for that.

3

Anita Brookner

You can never betray the people who are dead, so you go on being a public Jew; the dead can't answer slurs, but I'm here. I would love to think that Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, but he doesn't.

4

Brene Brown

Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in our lives or may leave without a moment's notice, who may be loyal to the day they die or betray us tomorrow - that's vulnerability.

5

Taylor Caldwell

I like animals because they are not consciously cruel and don't betray each other.

6

Kim Campbell

To suggest that Quebecers willingly give up the chance to exercise fully their influence within the federal government would be to betray the historical role Quebec has always played in Confederation, and to undermine the legitimacy of their pride and ambitions.

7

Cao Cao

I'd rather betray the world than let the world betray me.

8

Joseph Conrad

They talk of a man betraying his country, his friends, his sweetheart. There must be a moral bond first. All a man can betray is his conscience.

9

Lauren Conrad

Some people are willing to betray years of friendship just to get a little bit of the spotlight.

10

Charles Horton Cooley

There is nothing less to our credit than our neglect of the foreigner and his children, unless it be the arrogance most of us betray when we set out to 'Americanize' him.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «BETRAY»

Discover the use of betray in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to betray and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Befriend and Betray: Infiltrating the Hells Angels, Bandidos ...

Befriend and Betray offers an unflinching look at some familiar police operations and blows the lid off others that law enforcement would much prefer to keep hidden.

Alex Caine, 2011

A Time to Betray: A Gripping True Spy Story of Betrayal, ...

Offers the true story of a former CIA operative who was recruited out of Iran while serving as a member of the secretive and feared Revolutionary Guards.

Reza Kahlili, 2013

When Boundaries Betray Us

Carter Heyward is Howard Chandler Robbins Professor of Theology at the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Carter Heyward, 2000

To Love, Honor and Betray

"Callie Woodville had imagined her wedding day since she was a little girl .

Jennie Lucas, 2012

Why Judas Was Born to Betray Jesus

Debra L. Griffin felt compelled to write this book after watching The Passion of the Christ. It was after watching the film that she heard God command her to write a book on why Judas was born to betray Jesus.

Debra L. Griffin, 2010

When Friendship Hurts: How to Deal with Friends Who Betray, ...

In this straightforward, illuminating book filled with dozens of quizzes and real-life examples, Yager covers all the bases, including: The twenty-one types of negative friends -- a rogues' gallery featuring such familiar types as the Blood ...

Jan Yager, 2010

Love, Honor, and Betray

The infamous Reverend Curtis Black's sordid past is no secret, as his wife, Charlotte, is well aware.

Kimberla Lawson Roby, 2014

Betray

The newly formed Bureau of Supernatural Investigations faces its first true challenge as a werewolf begins viciously murdering humans.

D. L. Lindsey, 2010

When Gadgets Betray Us: The Dark Side of Our Infatuation ...

When Gadgets Betray Us gives us a glimpse into the secret lives of our gadgets and helps us to better understand--and manage--these very real risks.

Rob Vamosi, 2011

Betray the Night: A Novel about Ovid

A Novel about Ovid Benita Kane Jaro. “Yes, mistress?” Behind his dark blue eyes was a warning, and he had removed his voice to another room. “Nothing, Loricus. Will you see to him? Send him to the country. It's better to get him out of Rome.

Benita Kane Jaro, 2009

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «BETRAY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term betray is used in the context of the following news items.

I did not betray country, people must be calm: PM Najib

"I did not betray the people, I will find ways to uphold the truth. Be calm, the truth will prevail," he said when opening Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz ... «Channel News Asia, Jul 15»

Tillie Decided to Betray Big-Dicked Killer Escapee While Eating …

Now we reportedly know when and where Joyce “Tillie” Mitchell changed her mind about wanting her loyal, if delusional, husband murdered by ... «Gawker, Jul 15»

Letter writer: Climate-change believers betray their naiveté

The letter written by Anne Craig about the Citizens Climate Lobby in the [June 24] issue of Mountain Xpress [Local Group Lobbies for Climate ... «Mountain Xpress, Jul 15»

I did not betray country, people must be calm: Najib

"I did not betray the people, I will find ways to uphold the truth. Be calm, the truth will prevail," he said when opening Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz ... «Channel News Asia, Jul 15»

Eric Abetz's same-sex marriage attack may betray the fear of a …

Despite what Eric Abetz says, Australia's unwillingness to embrace same-sex marriage is a legitimate story. Machiavellian may be too strong a ... «WA today, Jul 15»

'Hannibal': Lecter's Expensive Tastes Betray Him (Exclusive Clip)

NBC may not be bringing the highly praised and under-watched “Hannibal” back for a fourth season, but there are still nine episodes left to go ... «Wall Street Journal, Jul 15»

Poptimism: how critics betray pop music fans

When a pop star like Taylor Swift reaches a certain strata of fame, they no longer seem to get bad reviews. Photo: Shirlaine Forrest. If you're ... «The Age, Jun 15»

Labour have no chance if they continue to betray their ideals like …

FORMER Labour MP Dennis warns that Burnham's lurch towards UKIP territory risks further alienating the former Scottish Labour voters he ... «Scottish Daily Record, Jun 15»

Ben Carson: Govt 'Must Never Force Christians' to Betray Beliefs

GOP candidate Dr. Ben Carson responded to the Supreme Court's divisive 5-4 ruling in favor of gay marriage by calling on Congress to protect ... «Newsmax, Jun 15»

Police academy grads told to 'never betray the badge'

"Never betray the badge and the honor bestowed upon you," said Meredith Dominick, an academy instructor who addressed the graduating ... «Herald-Mail Media, Jun 15»