Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BE-TRAY', v.t. [Chaucer wrote betrass, betraiss, and the Fr. traître, is a contraction of traistre; Arm. trayçza, to betray; Norm. trahir, to draw in, to betray; treitre, a traitor; Fr. trahir, which seems to be the L. traho. From trahir, is formed trahissant, and trahison, treason. If traho is the root, the sense is, to draw aside, to withdraw, or lead away; which would agree with the D. bedriegen, G. betriegen, Sw. bedraga, Dan. bedrager, to deceive; and treachery, Fr. tricherie, is from the root of trick. I do not find betrogan in the Saxon, but bedrog is rendered fefelit, and this is from dragan, to draw. Betray then seems to be a compound of be and dragan, to draw; and betrass supra, may be from a different root. In strictness, to fail in duty; to be guilty of breach of trust; to violate the confidence reposed. The word does not in itself import to deliver up; but by usage, either with or without the word enemies, it signifies to deliver up, in breach of trust.]

1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; as, an officer betrayed the city. The son of man shall be betrayed into the bands of men. – Matth. xvii.
2. To violate by fraud, or unfaithfulness; as, to betray a trust. If the people of America ever betray their trust, their guilt will merit even greater punishment than other nations have suffered, and the indignation of heaven. – J. Adams.
3. To violate confidence by disclosing a secret, or that which was intrusted; to expose; followed by the person, or the thing; as, my friend betrayed me, or betrayed the secret.
4. To disclose, or permit to appear, what is intended to be kept secret, or what prudence would conceal. Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. – Watts. Hence,
5. To mislead or expose to inconvenience not foreseen; as, great confidence betrays a man into errors.
6. To show; to disclose; to indicate what is not obvious at first view, or would otherwise be concealed. Nor, after length of years, a stone betray The place where once the very ruins lay. – Addison. This river betrays its original in its name. – Holwell. All the names in the country betray great antiquity. – Bryant.
7. To fail, or deceive. But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. – Johnson, Boswell.