belie
pronunciation
How to pronounce belie in British English:
UK [bɪˈlaɪ]
How to pronounce belie in American English:
US [bɪˈlaɪ]
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- Verb:
- be in contradiction with
- represent falsely
Word Origin
- belie (v.)
- Old English beleogan "to deceive by lies," from be- + lie (v.1) "to lie, tell lies." Current sense of "to contradict as a lie" is first recorded 1640s. The other verb lie once also had a formation like this, from Old English belicgan, which meant "to encompass, beleaguer," and in Middle English was a euphemism for "to have sex with" (i.e. "to lie with carnally").
Synonym
Example
- 1. God , I can 't belie v ei just said that .
- 2. His cheerful appearance belie his feelings .
- 3. The scientists speculate that one 's tendency to grin-an example of what psychologists call " thin slices " of behavior that can belie personal traits-reflects his or her underlying emotional disposition .
- 4. Either way , the motifs look tacky and belie the tastefulness within .
- 5. It was once a common belie that the earth was flat .