Bewraien

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. An archaic verb meaning to make known something concealed ; to hand someone over through treachery or deceit
2. Old English verb for uncovering a secret or hidden thing ; for turning against or informing on a person who trusted you
3. Obsolete term meaning to expose what was kept hidden ; to betray a friend or accuse someone through disloyalty

Etymology: Middle English "bewraien" is a verb meaning to reveal, disclose, or betray something that was hidden. Its core idea is "to accuse or expose," which is why it can carry the sense of betraying a confidence or giving a secret away. The word is built from the prefix "be-" (an intensive or thorough element, as in "beset" or "bedeck") and "wraien," meaning to accuse or to reveal. That second element is the older word here, and it is the source of the surprise: it is ultimately a native English word, not a borrowing from Latin or French. The stem of "wraien" goes back to Old English "wrēgian," meaning to accuse or denounce, and it is related to the modern "wray." Over time "wray" faded from everyday use, while "bewray" survived in English for a long while before it too became rare. Its meaning drifted from accusing someone to disclosing something, and it was often used in older translations of the Bible and in Shakespeare-era writing, where it could mean reveal a truth or betray a secret.