betray

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Betrayed p. pr. & vb. n. Betraying. ] [ OE. betraien, bitraien; pref. be- + OF. traïr to betray, F. trahir, fr. L. tradere. See Traitor. ] 1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly; as, an officer betrayed the city. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. Matt. xvii. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known. [ 1913 Webster ]

Willing to serve or betray any government for hire. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. T. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin. [ 1913 Webster ]

Genius . . . often betrays itself into great errors. T. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the names in the country betray great antiquity. Bryant. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. The act or the result of betraying. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, betrays. [ 1913 Webster ]