Engels

betray

gb/bɪtɹˈeɪ/ us/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
B1 Engels
~ 4700
Betekenissen
0 betekenissen
Werkwoord B1 action
1

Be disloyal to someone

To hurt someone who trusts you by not being loyal or by helping their enemy.

Gebruikspatroon: to betray [someone/something]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse 'betray' with 'deceive'. 'Betray' usually involves breaking trust, while 'deceive' means to make someone believe something untrue.
Synoniemen
deceive (Implies misleading someone, but not always involving disloyalty to a trust.) | double-cross (Informal; stresses cheating someone after pretending to be loyal.)
Antoniemen
support (Means to help or stand by someone, the opposite of acting against them.) | stand by (Means to remain loyal to someone in difficulty.)
Woordcombinaties
betray a friend |betray a trust |betray one's country |betray a confidence
Thema's
relationships |emotions |conflict |law |core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
  • She betrayed her best friend by sharing his secret.
  • The spy betrayed his country for money.
  • I can't believe you would betray me after all we've been through.
  • He felt betrayed when she sided with his rival.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
  • He betrayed his friend to the police.
  • She betrayed me when she told my secret.
  • The soldier betrayed his country.
  • I will never betray you.
Werkwoord B2 action
2

Reveal unintentionally

To show a feeling or fact without meaning to.

Gebruikspatroon: to betray [emotion/feature]
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may think 'betray' here always means 'to be disloyal', but in this sense it means to accidentally show something hidden.
Synoniemen
reveal (General term for making something known, intentionally or not.) | give away (Informal; implies exposing something secret or hidden.)
Antoniemen
conceal (Means to hide something so it is not seen or known.)
Woordcombinaties
betray nervousness |betray ignorance |betray one's feelings
Thema's
communication |emotions |core_vocabulary
Voorbeelden
  • Her trembling hands betrayed her fear.
  • His voice betrayed his nervousness during the interview.
  • The look on his face betrayed his disappointment.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
  • Her eyes betrayed her sadness.
  • His smile betrayed his true feelings.
  • The shaking of his hands betrayed his fear.
Grammatica
Lemmavorm
betray
IPA
GB/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
US/bɪtɹˈeɪ/
Lettergrepen en klemtoon
be - tray (2 lettergrepen)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tray)
Woordvormen
Verb
  • Base: betray
  • 3rd Person Singular: betrays
  • Present Participle: betraying
  • Past: betrayed
Woordfamilie
Forms
betrays verb betraying verb betrayed verb
Core family
betrayal noun B2
Related words
betrayer noun
Uitdrukkingen

betray a confidence

1
/bɪtɹˈeɪ ə kˈɑnfədəns/
fixed phrase

Reveal private information

To tell someone a secret that was told to you in private.

Voorbeelden
  • She betrayed a confidence by telling the press about their conversation.
  • I would never betray a confidence, no matter what.

betray someone's trust

1
/bɪtɹˈeɪ sˈʌmwˌʌnz tɹˈʌst/
fixed phrase

Break someone's confidence

To do something that makes someone stop trusting you.

Voorbeelden
  • He betrayed my trust when he lied about the money.
  • You should never betray a child's trust.

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