belie

[ bih-lahy ]

/ bɪˈlaɪ /

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verb (used with object), be·lied, be·ly·ing.

to show to be false; contradict: His trembling hands belied his calm voice.

to misrepresent: The newspaper belied the facts.

to act unworthily according to the standards of (a tradition, one's ancestry, one's faith, etc.).

Archaic. to lie about; slander.

Nearby words

belgorod-dnestrovsky, belgrade, belgrano, belgravia, belial, belie, belief, believe, believe it or not, believe one's ears, believing

Origin of belie

before 1000; Middle English belyen, Old English belēogan. See be-, lie¹

SYNONYMS FOR belie

1 refute, disprove, controvert, repudiate, confute, gainsay.

1, 2 See misrepresent.

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ANTONYMS FOR belie

1 prove, verify, support.

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Related forms

be·li·er, nounun·be·lied, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for belying

He was on his guard directly, and said coldly, "You have been belying me to my very clerk."
Hard Cash|Charles Reade
He glanced at her and their eyes met, the reproach in his own belying his words.
Jude the Obscure|Thomas Hardy
He spoke deliberately, but his brows were slightly drawn, belying the coolness of his speech.
The Tidal Wave and Other Stories|Ethel May Dell
We have seen them belying all the pretty traditions about their modest and retiring ways.
The Children's Book of Gardening|Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick

There was a glitter in Terry's eyes, belying the lips which smiled in keeping with the character he presented.
Northern Lights, Complete|Gilbert Parker

British Dictionary definitions for belying

belie

/ (bɪˈlaɪ) /

verb -lies, -lying or -lied (tr)

to show to be untrue; contradict

to misrepresent; disguise the nature ofthe report belied the real extent of the damage

to fail to justify; disappoint

Derived Forms

belier, noun

Word Origin for belie

Old English belēogan; related to Old Frisian biliuga, Old High German biliugan; see be-, lie 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012