belie

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to represent falsely

   Con artists belie their intentions to gain the confidence of their marks.

2. 2
   verb

   to be in contradiction with

   New evidence belies the claims in your older research.

3. 3
   verb

   To give a false representation of.

   Her smooth complexion and dark hair belie her actual age.

4. 4
   verb

   To contradict, to show (something) to be false.

   Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.

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”).

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