treason
- treason
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a) The crime of betraying one’s government.
"Formerly, the punishment for high treason was of a most barbarous character…. Women were burnt. A male traitor was dragged or drawn to the place of execution and hanged; but while still alive, he was cut down and disembowelled. His head was then severed from his body which was quartered. The head and quarters, which were at the Kings disposal, were usually exposed in some conspicuous place—the Temple Bar being a favourite spot—after being boiled in salt to prevent putrification and in cumin seed to prevent birds feasting on them."
b) Providing aid and comfort to the enemy.
1952: James Avery Joyce: Justice At Work: (this edition Pan 1957) Page 105.
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treason — trea·son / trēz ən/ n [Anglo French treison crime of violence against a person to whom allegiance is owed, literally, betrayal, from Old French traïson, from traïr to betray, from Latin tradere to hand over, surrender]: the offense of attempting… … Law dictionary
Treason — Trea son, n. [OE. tresun, treisun, traisoun, OF. tra[ i]son, F. trahison, L. traditio a giving up, a delivering up, fr. tradere to give up, betray. See {Traitor}, and cf. {Tradition}.] 1. The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
treason — (n.) early 13c., from Anglo Fr. treson, from O.Fr. traison (11c.; Mod.Fr. trahison), from L. traditionem (nom. traditio) a handing over, delivery, surrender (see TRADITION (Cf. tradition)). Old French form influenced by the verb trair betray. In… … Etymology dictionary
treason — (also high treason) ► NOUN ▪ the crime of betraying one s country, especially by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or government. DERIVATIVES treasonable adjective treasonous adjective. ORIGIN Old French treisoun, from Latin tradere… … English terms dictionary
treason — *sedition Analogous words: revolution, revolt, rebellion, uprising, insurrection: betrayal, deceiving or deception, double crossing (see corresponding verbs at DECEIVE): overthrowing or overthrow, subverting or subversion (see corresponding verbs … New Dictionary of Synonyms
treason — [n] disloyalty breach of faith, crime, deceit, deceitfulness, deception, disaffection, dishonesty, duplicity, faithlessness, lèsemajesté, mutiny, perfidy, revolt, revolutionary, sedition, seditious act, seditiousness, subversion, traitorousness,… … New thesaurus
treason — [trē′zən] n. [ME treison < OFr traïson < L traditio < pp. of tradere, to give or deliver over or up < trans , TRANS + dare, to give: see DATE1] 1. Now Rare betrayal of trust or faith; treachery 2. violation of the allegiance owed to… … English World dictionary
Treason — In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one s sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife (treason… … Wikipedia
treason — A breach of allegiance to one s government, usually committed through levying war against such government or by giving aid or comfort to the enemy. The offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the… … Black's law dictionary
treason — /tree zeuhn/, n. 1. the offense of acting to overthrow one s government or to harm or kill its sovereign. 2. a violation of allegiance to one s sovereign or to one s state. 3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.… … Universalium
treason — n. 1) to commit; plot treason 2) high treason 3) an act of treason 4) treason to + inf. (it is treason to sell military information to a foreign power) * * * [ triːz(ə)n] plot treason an act of treason hightreason to commit treason to + inf. (it… … Combinatory dictionary
