: the act of betraying someone or something or the fact of being betrayed : violation of a person's trust or confidence, of a moral standard, etc.
the betrayal of a friend
a betrayal of trust
a betrayal of one's principles
A man who built his entire administration upon demanding unctuous loyalty from his allies now finds himself wounded by their shabby betrayal. Jack Hitt
The double life of an informant is a peculiar one, filled at the same time with tedium and betrayal. Karen Richardson
Even Jesus recognized that there was something paradoxical about his betrayal by Judas Iscariot—in three of the four canonical Gospels, with a kiss. David Gates
2
: revelation of something hidden or secret
a betrayal of one's true feelings
There was never doubt, never a betrayal of indecision. Jack London
… she had shrunk with irresistible dread from every course that could tend towards a betrayal of her miserable secret. George Eliot
ADJECTIVE | VERB + BETRAYAL | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤personal個人背叛▸➤ultimate最大的背叛◇His defection to the other side was the ultimate betrayal.他變節投向另一方是最大的背叛。VERB + BETRAYAL➤regard sth as, see sth as, view sth as把⋯看成是背叛◇The business community regarded the measures as a betrayal of election promises.商界認為這些措施有違競選承諾。PREPOSITION➤betrayal of對⋯的背叛◇a betrayal of his friends對他朋友的背叛◇The decisions were a betrayal of everything my father stood for.這些決定與我父親所有的主張都相悖。PHRASES➤an act of betrayal背叛行為▸➤a betrayal of (sb's) trust辜負(某人的)信任▸➤a feeling of betrayal, a sense of betrayal被出賣感