Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Origin: tray 'to betray' (13-16 centuries), from Old French traïr, from Latin tradere; TRAITOR

betray

 verb
     
be‧tray [transitive]
1

friends

to be disloyal to someone who trusts you so that they are harmed or upset:
He felt that she had betrayed him.
betray somebody to somebody
What kind of man would betray his own sister to the police?
She had betrayed her parents' trust.
I would never betray a confidence (=tell a secret which someone has trusted me with).
2

country

to be disloyal to your country, company etc, for example by giving secret information to its enemies:
people who betray their country for money
3

emotions

[not in progressive or passive] to show feelings that you are trying to hide [= give away]:
His voice betrayed his nervousness.
His face betrayed nothing (=showed no emotion).
4

truth

to show that something is true or exists, especially when it is not easily noticed [= give away]:
The slightest sound might betray his presence.
The crumpled sheets betrayed the fact that someone had been sleeping there.
5

betray your beliefs/principles/ideals etc

to stop supporting your old beliefs and principles, especially in order to get power or avoid trouble
—betrayer noun [countable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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