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treason definition

trea·son (trē′zən)

noun

  1. Now Rare betrayal of trust or faith; treachery
  2. violation of the allegiance owed to one's sovereign or state; betrayal of one's country, specif., in the U.S. (as declared in the Constitution), consisting only in levying war against the U.S. or in giving aid and comfort to its enemies

Etymology: ME treison < OFr traïson < L traditio < pp. of tradere, to give or deliver over or up < trans-, trans- + dare, to give: see date

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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