betray

Word family

be·tray /bɪˈtreɪ/ verb [transitiveT]

1 friends 朋友BETRAY to be disloyal to someone who trusts you, so that they are harmed or upset 背叛〔信任你的人〕；对…不忠；出卖

He felt that she had betrayed him.

他感觉她背叛了自己。

betray somebody to somebody

What kind of man would betray his own sister to the police?

向警方出卖自己的妹妹，那是什么样的人啊？

She had betrayed her parents' trust.

她辜负了父母对她的信任。

I would never betray a confidence (=tell a secret that someone has trusted me with).

我永远不会泄露秘密。

2 country 国家BETRAY to be disloyal to your country, company etc, for example by giving secret information to its enemies 背叛〔国家、公司等〕

people who betray their country for money

卖国求财的人

3 emotions 情感SHOW A FEELING OR ATTITUDE to show feelings that you are trying to hide 流露〔想掩饰的情感〕 SYN give away

His voice betrayed his nervousness.

他的声音暴露了他的紧张。

His face betrayed nothing (=showed no emotion).

他不露声色。

4 truth 真实情况 to show that something is true or exists, especially when it is not easily noticed 暴露〔不易发觉的东西〕 SYN give away

The slightest sound might betray his presence.

稍有动静便有可能暴露他的存在。

The crumpled sheets betrayed the fact that someone had been sleeping there.

皱巴巴的床单说明有人在这里睡过。

5. betray your beliefs/principles/ideals etc BETRAYto stop supporting your old beliefs and principles, especially in order to get power or avoid trouble 背弃自己的信仰/原则/理想等

—betrayer noun [countableC]

Examples from the Corpus

betray• When I heard what she had said about me I felt angry and betrayed.• The documents betray a deep anti-Semitism in the country.• Barker's comments on Germany betrayed a woeful ignorance of history and recent politics.• He is the golden youth whose promise is betrayed by his base appetites.• He had felt betrayed by the visit, after hoping to be lifted out of his crushing depression by it.• Olga's best friend betrayed her to the secret police.• They could see that her body was already betraying her.• Greene was denounced for betraying his Catholic beliefs and siding with the Communists.• The former federal agent betrayed his country and gave away vital military secrets.• He betrayed his friends in order to save his own life.• His words were calm, but his voice betrayed his very real concern and anxiety.• If he feels any bitterness, his voice doesn't betray it.• Women can not betray me, for I have never made the mistake of trusting them.• My husband lied to me and betrayed me.• I still have bitter feelings for Robert. What can I say? He completely betrayed my trust.• The new government has betrayed the ideals of the revolution.• There are people who are prepared to betray their country for money.• Not by the slightest word or look did she betray to Miss Miggs that she knew she couldn't read.• Conservatives felt betrayed when Bush raised taxes.

betrayed ... trust• Adrian is shocked that Yasmin betrayed his trust.• He was absolved, neither waking nor sleeping had he betrayed his trust.• They needed a servant to replace that girl Jane who had betrayed her trust.• The National Trust has already betrayed its trust, albeit accidentally, by allowing the building to burn down.

betray his presence• He held his breath, not wanting to make the slightest sound that might betray his presence.• He veered to his right, not wanting to betray his presence with dust from the dry mud of the lane.

Origin betray