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# betrayal

noun (a betrayal, betrayals; betrayal, uncountable)

«betrayal» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Betrayal is breaking someone's trust, for example by telling their secret, lying to them or helping their enemy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#m1)
2. A betrayal is one act of this kind. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#m2)
3. Betrayal of a country is helping its enemies (treason). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories, betrayal is a big turning point: a friend tells a secret or changes sides. In ethics lessons, pupils discuss whether telling an adult about danger is betrayal (it is not; it keeps people safe). In Bible lessons, Judas's betrayal of Jesus is a famous story. Phrases: «a sense of betrayal», «an act of betrayal», «feel betrayed».

### Examples

- Telling everyone her secret was a betrayal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x1)
- She felt a deep sense of betrayal when her friend laughed at her. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x2)
- In the Bible, Judas's betrayal of Jesus happened for thirty silver coins. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x3)
- The spy's betrayal cost many lives. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x4)
- It wasn't a betrayal to tell the teacher that Sam was being hurt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x5)
- The film is about friendship and betrayal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/#x6)

### Note

Countable for one act («two betrayals»), uncountable for the idea. Verb: betray (betrayed, betraying); person: traitor. Trap: telling to keep someone safe is not betrayal; spreading gossip to hurt is.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «betrayal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/betrayal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«betrayal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/betrayal.html) on Mova free.