Middle English Dictionary Entry
bitraien v.
Entry Info
| Forms | bitraien v. P. bitraide, betrāt. |
| Etymology | From traien (OF trair). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. bitraishen.
1.
To commit an act of treason against (sb.), betray; deliver (sb., sth.) treasonably to the enemy; ~ amis; ~ into hond; also, give (sb.) away.
Associated quotations
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)93 : On me scal bitraye þat nv is vre yuere.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)8923 : He wende [þat Andr]ogius bi-traie [Clg: swiken] hi[ne wo]lde.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)2867 : Mi fader constantin verst he bitraide amis.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)305 : Þay be-traiede þe kyng..an honged þai weren & to-drawe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1556 : Now buþ we betraied; ȝonder y se come many a man y-armed.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.17.21 : Mannes sone is to be betraied in-to the hondis of men.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.93 : He was nevere betrayed [L proditus] by castinge oþer awaytinge of his owne men.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.117 : Severus..was bitrayed by falshede of his owne knyȝtes and fliȝ to Ravenna.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)2.1181 : He tolde hire..Of Rome how that the gentil blod In Barbarie was betraied.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)16480 : Þe sakles blood of him bitrayed is bi me.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.49 : Listen me..How he betraied my lord..he him bitraist to ȝow.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)5238 : Hij maden fyres..gret als an hous, For þe kyng wolde haue swiche liȝth, He nere bitrayed vpon þat niȝth.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)85 : Betrayen men nat Remes grete and kynges?
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4905 : Dredynge ay þat þese ilke tweyne Be som engyn or conspired treyne To þe Grekes wolden hym be-tray.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)2295 : We ben betrayed [Add: betrapped] and jnome!
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11823 : This towne is betrayed..And grauntid to the grekes by gomys of your owne.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12026 : Wethir þai couenand wold kepe to þe kene traiturs..þat betrat hom þe toun.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)883 : Myn heritage he toke me fro, And now this tym hath me be trayd.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)213/1983 : Alas, who hath betrayed my town?..If no treson hadde bene a-mong vs alle [etc.].
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)10/319 : Judas þat fals traytour..xal be-tray oure savyour.
- a1500 Abbrev.Elucid.(Pen 12)30/25-26 : Hit is said in scripture that the Fader betraiede [L tradidit] the Sonne and the Sonne betrayed hymselfe. What synnyd Iudas then when he betraied God?
2.
(a) To prove false or be disloyal to (sb., sth.), betray (someone's) trust; (b) to prove false.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (Hrl 2277)p.35 : He thoȝt that holi churche he nolde nevere bitraye.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1763 : Mid hom he spac so quointeliche & mede hom gan bede, So þat þe king basian hii bitraiede in is nede.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1634 : 'Noe,' he said..'All þis world bitrais me.'
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1247 : My lady bryght, Criseyde, hath me bytrayed, In whom I trusted most of any wight.
b
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)1251 : Hi sworen..Þat neure ne scholde Horn neure bitraie, Þeȝ he at diþe laie.
3.
To deceive or delude (sb.); lead astray, mislead, dupe; ~ amis.
Associated quotations
- c1300 Assump.Virg.(1) (Cmb Gg.4.27)166 : Wiþ þe giles þat he [þe feond] can, He bitraieþ many man.
- c1300 SLeg.Jas.(LdMisc 108)356 : Ich habbe leue..to bi-gyli and bi-traye al-so Mid eche quointise þat ich mai.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)396 : Lokeþ wel, þat no man by-traye ȝow amys.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)9325 : Maister he is to bi traye, is word is al falsehede.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)975 : Ich tok þe mi sone to lore..And ȝe han him bitreid..ich am desmaid.
- c1390 Whon Men beoþ (Vrn)142 : Þi lyf þou hast I-lad wiþ lyȝes; So þis world gon þe be-tray.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)273b/a : Þis burestis bygyleþ and bytrayeþ þe oxe.
- c1400(a1376) *PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)[1.68] f.3a : Þat tresten on his tresour betraid arn sonnest.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)1.39 : Þe wrecched worlde wolde þe bitraye.
- (1402) Hoccl.Cupid (Hnt HM 744)42 : Thow art betrayed [vr. deceyved] by fals apparence.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2690 : Men that shape hem other wey, Falsly her ladyes for to bitray..With false othes her loves they gatt.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)3987 : Thou fals traitour..Thou betraied my fadre from his lond.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)137 : The foule cherl that..Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)486 : False men that hem bytraien, That al hir lyf ne do nat but assayen How many women they may doon a shame.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)13a : To Betray: prodere, tradere, traducere..vbi to begyle.