belying

Verb (1)

belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past belay, past participle belain)

1. (dated, transitive) To lie around; encompass.
   • When little worlds collide, I'm trapped inside my embryonic cell / And flashing memories are cast into the never-ending well / The name that scorns the face / The child that never sees the cause of man / The deathly darkness that / Belies the fate of those who never ran1973, “A National Acrobat”, in Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, performed by Black Sabbath
2. (obsolete, transitive) To surround; beleaguer.

Verb (2)

belie (third-person singular simple present belies, present participle belying, simple past and past participle belied)

1. (archaic, transitive) To tell lies about.
   • Thou do’ſt bely him Percy, thou doſt bely him; / He never did encounter with Glendower:c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...

   Synonyms:

   slander, calumniate

2. (transitive) To give a false representation of.
   • Her smooth complexion and dark hair belie her actual age.

   Synonyms:

   misrepresent

3. (transitive) To contradict, to show (something) to be false.
   • Her obvious nervousness belied what she said.

   Synonyms:

   contradict, give the lie to, put the lie to, give lie to, put lie to, put to lie

4. (rare, transitive) To call a liar; to accuse of falsehood.
   • They haue belyed the Lord, and ſaid; It is not he, neither ſhall euill come vpon vs, neither ſhal we ſee ſwoꝛd noꝛ famine.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 5:12, column 1

See all 10 meanings of belie