belie

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[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA: /bɪˈlʌɪ/
  • (US) IPA: /bɪˈlaɪ/, /bəˈlaɪ/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪ

[edit] Etymology 1

From Middle English belyen, beliggen, from Old English belicgan, bilicgan (to lie around, surround, hedge in, encompass), equivalent to be- (around, by) +‎ lie (to be positioned). Cognate with German beliegen.

[edit] Verb

belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past belay, past participle belain)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To lie around; encompass.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) (of an army) To surround; beleaguer.

[edit] Etymology 2

From Middle English belyen, beleoȝen, from Old English belēogan (to deceive by lying, be mistaken), equivalent to be- (about) +‎ lie (to deceive). Cognate with Old Frisian biliaga (to belie), Dutch beliegen (to belie), German belügen (to lie to), Swedish beljuga (to tell lies about).

[edit] Verb

belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past and past participle belied)

  1. (transitive) To tell lies about; to slander. [from 13th c.]
  2. (transitive) To give a false representation of, to misrepresent. [from 17th c.]
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.2.6.iv:
      He found it by experience, and made good use of it in his own person, if Plutarch belie him not [...].
  3. (transitive) To contradict, to show (something) to be false. [from 17th c.]
    Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
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