belie

== English == === Alternative forms === bely === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɪˈlaɪ/, /bəˈlaɪ/ (General American) IPA(key): /bɪˈlaɪ/, /bəˈlaɪ/, /biˈlaɪ/ Rhymes: -aɪ === Etymology 1 === From Middle English belyen, beliggen, from Old English beliċġan, biliċġan (“to lie around, surround, hedge in, encompass”), from Proto-West Germanic *biliggjan, from Proto-Germanic *biligjaną (“to lie around”). Equivalent to be- (“around, by”) +‎ lie (“to be positioned”). ==== Verb ==== belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past belay, past participle belain) (transitive, obsolete) To lie around; encompass. (transitive, obsolete, of an army) To surround; beleaguer. === Etymology 2 === From Middle English belyen, beleoȝen, from Old English belēogan (“to deceive by lying, be mistaken”), from Proto-West Germanic *bileugan (“to belie”). Equivalent to be- (“about”) +‎ lie (“to deceive”). Compare Dutch beliegen (“to lie about, tell lies”), German belügen (“to lie to someone”). ==== Verb ==== belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past and past participle belied) (transitive, archaic) To tell lies about. [from 13th c.] Synonyms: slander, calumniate (transitive) To give a false representation of. [from 17th c.] Synonym: misrepresent (transitive) To contradict, to show (something) to be false. [from 17th c.] Synonyms: contradict, give lie to, give the lie to (transitive, rare) To call a liar; to accuse of falsehood. [from 17th c.] (transitive, rare) To fill with lies; to lie to. (transitive, perhaps nonstandard) To conceal the contradictory or ironic presence of (something). (transitive, perhaps nonstandard) To show, evince or demonstrate (something) to be present, particularly something deemed contradictory or ironic. (obsolete) To mimic; to counterfeit. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Anagrams === Elbie