Are 'belie' and 'hide' interchangable? [closed]
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Her energetic activities in the function belied her old age.
He could not belie his identity with all the makeover.
Is the usage of belie correct?
word-usage
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
closed as off-topic by Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka Jan 11 at 19:30
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
add a comment |
Her energetic activities in the function belied her old age.
He could not belie his identity with all the makeover.
Is the usage of belie correct?
word-usage
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
closed as off-topic by Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka Jan 11 at 19:30
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
4
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24
add a comment |
Her energetic activities in the function belied her old age.
He could not belie his identity with all the makeover.
Is the usage of belie correct?
word-usage
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
Her energetic activities in the function belied her old age.
He could not belie his identity with all the makeover.
Is the usage of belie correct?
word-usage
word-usage
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
edited Jan 7 at 16:03
Laurel
34.8k668121
34.8k668121
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
asked Jan 7 at 14:51
Mathew KJMathew KJ
915
915
closed as off-topic by Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka Jan 11 at 19:30
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
closed as off-topic by Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka Jan 11 at 19:30
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Jim, tmgr, choster, Skooba, Chenmunka
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
4
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24
add a comment |
4
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24
4
4
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
In those examples, belie and hide are interchangeable because they can share a common meaning of giving a false impression of.
Hide can also mean to conceal (in the sense of giving a false impression). Hide is more the physical act of avoiding being found. For example, the following sentence would not be a synonym of belie.
The boy hides in the bushes.
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
add a comment |
Belie is a verb with two distinct meanings, and one of those has many different senses. Essentially it means "to tell a lie about something". But the sense you are interested in here is OED sense 3c - as follows:
3c. To disguise (a person or thing); to conceal the true character or
identity of; to conceal the fact of. Chiefly literary.
1610 G. Fletcher Christs Victorie 35 A painted face, belied with
vermeyl store.
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 435 If
we had been on the Scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the
disguise of a Bears-hide, would we have said, Now two beasts are
fighting? The Shape therefore may well belie the Substance.
1697 Dryden Alexander's Feast ii. 2 A Dragon's fiery Form bely'd
the God: Sublime on Radiant Spires He rode.
1725 E. Fenton in Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 618 A
Boar's obscener shape the God belies.
1730 Pope Temple of Fame in Wks. III. 154 His horn'd head bely'd
the Libian God.
1759 J. Fortescue Diss., Ess. & Disc. I. xxiii Flow'ry deceit, and
dark-designing fraud; Hypocrisy, with cherub-face belied, Mask'd
hatred, quer'lous strife, and envy rude.
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 280 To
belie the form of God in the unholy semblance of cats.
1863 M. Oliphant Rector & Doctor's Family viii. 146 in Chrons.
Carlingford Spring had begun to show faintly in the lengthening
days—spring, that so often belies itself, and comes with a serpent's
tooth.
1970 L. Deighton Bomber (1972) xi. 151 The grimy condition of the
coasters was belied by the fresh rain that had glossed their decks and
given their hulls the polish of old jackboots.
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
add a comment |
My impression is that while the second sentence appears to be grammatically sound, it isn't idiomatic:
#He could not belie his identity with all the makeup.
In the usage I've seen, the object of belie is never a person, but rather a thing, a concept, or an attribute. For example, we have (from this article)
[H]is actions in the following weeks belied his apology.
which has the meaning "his actions in the following weeks made his apology seem to be a lie." However, the sentences
#He belied his apology with his actions in the following weeks.
#He belied his apology by his actions in the following weeks.
do not seem like something an American English speaker would say.
That said, I have been unable to find a citation describing this usage, so it's possible that I'm off-base. I will report back if I find anything definitive.
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
In those examples, belie and hide are interchangeable because they can share a common meaning of giving a false impression of.
Hide can also mean to conceal (in the sense of giving a false impression). Hide is more the physical act of avoiding being found. For example, the following sentence would not be a synonym of belie.
The boy hides in the bushes.
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
add a comment |
In those examples, belie and hide are interchangeable because they can share a common meaning of giving a false impression of.
Hide can also mean to conceal (in the sense of giving a false impression). Hide is more the physical act of avoiding being found. For example, the following sentence would not be a synonym of belie.
The boy hides in the bushes.
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
add a comment |
In those examples, belie and hide are interchangeable because they can share a common meaning of giving a false impression of.
Hide can also mean to conceal (in the sense of giving a false impression). Hide is more the physical act of avoiding being found. For example, the following sentence would not be a synonym of belie.
The boy hides in the bushes.
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
In those examples, belie and hide are interchangeable because they can share a common meaning of giving a false impression of.
Hide can also mean to conceal (in the sense of giving a false impression). Hide is more the physical act of avoiding being found. For example, the following sentence would not be a synonym of belie.
The boy hides in the bushes.
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
edited Jan 7 at 20:04
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
answered Jan 7 at 15:50
KarlomanioKarlomanio
863311
863311
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
add a comment |
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
2
2
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
You are right. Indeed "The boy belies in the bushes" could, according to an altogether different meaning of "belie" indicate that the boy was having sexual intercourse in the bushes!
– WS2
Jan 7 at 19:24
3
3
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
Note that the main difference here is that "belie" must be transitive while "hide" can be either transitive or intransitive. This is the main difference between your example and those in the original question.
– Michael Seifert
Jan 7 at 20:38
add a comment |
Belie is a verb with two distinct meanings, and one of those has many different senses. Essentially it means "to tell a lie about something". But the sense you are interested in here is OED sense 3c - as follows:
3c. To disguise (a person or thing); to conceal the true character or
identity of; to conceal the fact of. Chiefly literary.
1610 G. Fletcher Christs Victorie 35 A painted face, belied with
vermeyl store.
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 435 If
we had been on the Scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the
disguise of a Bears-hide, would we have said, Now two beasts are
fighting? The Shape therefore may well belie the Substance.
1697 Dryden Alexander's Feast ii. 2 A Dragon's fiery Form bely'd
the God: Sublime on Radiant Spires He rode.
1725 E. Fenton in Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 618 A
Boar's obscener shape the God belies.
1730 Pope Temple of Fame in Wks. III. 154 His horn'd head bely'd
the Libian God.
1759 J. Fortescue Diss., Ess. & Disc. I. xxiii Flow'ry deceit, and
dark-designing fraud; Hypocrisy, with cherub-face belied, Mask'd
hatred, quer'lous strife, and envy rude.
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 280 To
belie the form of God in the unholy semblance of cats.
1863 M. Oliphant Rector & Doctor's Family viii. 146 in Chrons.
Carlingford Spring had begun to show faintly in the lengthening
days—spring, that so often belies itself, and comes with a serpent's
tooth.
1970 L. Deighton Bomber (1972) xi. 151 The grimy condition of the
coasters was belied by the fresh rain that had glossed their decks and
given their hulls the polish of old jackboots.
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
add a comment |
Belie is a verb with two distinct meanings, and one of those has many different senses. Essentially it means "to tell a lie about something". But the sense you are interested in here is OED sense 3c - as follows:
3c. To disguise (a person or thing); to conceal the true character or
identity of; to conceal the fact of. Chiefly literary.
1610 G. Fletcher Christs Victorie 35 A painted face, belied with
vermeyl store.
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 435 If
we had been on the Scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the
disguise of a Bears-hide, would we have said, Now two beasts are
fighting? The Shape therefore may well belie the Substance.
1697 Dryden Alexander's Feast ii. 2 A Dragon's fiery Form bely'd
the God: Sublime on Radiant Spires He rode.
1725 E. Fenton in Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 618 A
Boar's obscener shape the God belies.
1730 Pope Temple of Fame in Wks. III. 154 His horn'd head bely'd
the Libian God.
1759 J. Fortescue Diss., Ess. & Disc. I. xxiii Flow'ry deceit, and
dark-designing fraud; Hypocrisy, with cherub-face belied, Mask'd
hatred, quer'lous strife, and envy rude.
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 280 To
belie the form of God in the unholy semblance of cats.
1863 M. Oliphant Rector & Doctor's Family viii. 146 in Chrons.
Carlingford Spring had begun to show faintly in the lengthening
days—spring, that so often belies itself, and comes with a serpent's
tooth.
1970 L. Deighton Bomber (1972) xi. 151 The grimy condition of the
coasters was belied by the fresh rain that had glossed their decks and
given their hulls the polish of old jackboots.
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
add a comment |
Belie is a verb with two distinct meanings, and one of those has many different senses. Essentially it means "to tell a lie about something". But the sense you are interested in here is OED sense 3c - as follows:
3c. To disguise (a person or thing); to conceal the true character or
identity of; to conceal the fact of. Chiefly literary.
1610 G. Fletcher Christs Victorie 35 A painted face, belied with
vermeyl store.
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 435 If
we had been on the Scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the
disguise of a Bears-hide, would we have said, Now two beasts are
fighting? The Shape therefore may well belie the Substance.
1697 Dryden Alexander's Feast ii. 2 A Dragon's fiery Form bely'd
the God: Sublime on Radiant Spires He rode.
1725 E. Fenton in Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 618 A
Boar's obscener shape the God belies.
1730 Pope Temple of Fame in Wks. III. 154 His horn'd head bely'd
the Libian God.
1759 J. Fortescue Diss., Ess. & Disc. I. xxiii Flow'ry deceit, and
dark-designing fraud; Hypocrisy, with cherub-face belied, Mask'd
hatred, quer'lous strife, and envy rude.
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 280 To
belie the form of God in the unholy semblance of cats.
1863 M. Oliphant Rector & Doctor's Family viii. 146 in Chrons.
Carlingford Spring had begun to show faintly in the lengthening
days—spring, that so often belies itself, and comes with a serpent's
tooth.
1970 L. Deighton Bomber (1972) xi. 151 The grimy condition of the
coasters was belied by the fresh rain that had glossed their decks and
given their hulls the polish of old jackboots.
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
Belie is a verb with two distinct meanings, and one of those has many different senses. Essentially it means "to tell a lie about something". But the sense you are interested in here is OED sense 3c - as follows:
3c. To disguise (a person or thing); to conceal the true character or
identity of; to conceal the fact of. Chiefly literary.
1610 G. Fletcher Christs Victorie 35 A painted face, belied with
vermeyl store.
1634 Bp. J. Hall Contempl. Hist. New Test. (STC 12640.7) i. 435 If
we had been on the Scaffold to see a man challenging the dogs in the
disguise of a Bears-hide, would we have said, Now two beasts are
fighting? The Shape therefore may well belie the Substance.
1697 Dryden Alexander's Feast ii. 2 A Dragon's fiery Form bely'd
the God: Sublime on Radiant Spires He rode.
1725 E. Fenton in Pope et al. tr. Homer Odyssey I. iv. 618 A
Boar's obscener shape the God belies.
1730 Pope Temple of Fame in Wks. III. 154 His horn'd head bely'd
the Libian God.
1759 J. Fortescue Diss., Ess. & Disc. I. xxiii Flow'ry deceit, and
dark-designing fraud; Hypocrisy, with cherub-face belied, Mask'd
hatred, quer'lous strife, and envy rude.
1810 A. Cunningham et al. Remains Nithsdale & Galloway Song 280 To
belie the form of God in the unholy semblance of cats.
1863 M. Oliphant Rector & Doctor's Family viii. 146 in Chrons.
Carlingford Spring had begun to show faintly in the lengthening
days—spring, that so often belies itself, and comes with a serpent's
tooth.
1970 L. Deighton Bomber (1972) xi. 151 The grimy condition of the
coasters was belied by the fresh rain that had glossed their decks and
given their hulls the polish of old jackboots.
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
answered Jan 7 at 15:19
WS2WS2
52.4k28117252
52.4k28117252
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
add a comment |
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
His eye movement from left to right when reading a language that needs to be read from right to left belies his ignorance of the language. Is this usage correct?.
– Mathew KJ
Jan 7 at 15:52
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
"Hide", on the other hand, is what my dad is going to tan if he finds me using the Internet.
– Hot Licks
Jan 7 at 20:19
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
Really, "contradicts" better captures the essence of the meaning of "belie" in this sense and most of its senses than "conceals". When something that belies conceals it does so by contradicting what you would expect from something.
– ohwilleke
Jan 8 at 0:07
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
@ohwilleke In the 1970 example above, it would seem that "concealed" would be an equally close synonym of "belied" as "contradicted" would be. We are probably discussing angels on a pinhead here.
– WS2
Jan 8 at 13:00
add a comment |
My impression is that while the second sentence appears to be grammatically sound, it isn't idiomatic:
#He could not belie his identity with all the makeup.
In the usage I've seen, the object of belie is never a person, but rather a thing, a concept, or an attribute. For example, we have (from this article)
[H]is actions in the following weeks belied his apology.
which has the meaning "his actions in the following weeks made his apology seem to be a lie." However, the sentences
#He belied his apology with his actions in the following weeks.
#He belied his apology by his actions in the following weeks.
do not seem like something an American English speaker would say.
That said, I have been unable to find a citation describing this usage, so it's possible that I'm off-base. I will report back if I find anything definitive.
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
add a comment |
My impression is that while the second sentence appears to be grammatically sound, it isn't idiomatic:
#He could not belie his identity with all the makeup.
In the usage I've seen, the object of belie is never a person, but rather a thing, a concept, or an attribute. For example, we have (from this article)
[H]is actions in the following weeks belied his apology.
which has the meaning "his actions in the following weeks made his apology seem to be a lie." However, the sentences
#He belied his apology with his actions in the following weeks.
#He belied his apology by his actions in the following weeks.
do not seem like something an American English speaker would say.
That said, I have been unable to find a citation describing this usage, so it's possible that I'm off-base. I will report back if I find anything definitive.
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
add a comment |
My impression is that while the second sentence appears to be grammatically sound, it isn't idiomatic:
#He could not belie his identity with all the makeup.
In the usage I've seen, the object of belie is never a person, but rather a thing, a concept, or an attribute. For example, we have (from this article)
[H]is actions in the following weeks belied his apology.
which has the meaning "his actions in the following weeks made his apology seem to be a lie." However, the sentences
#He belied his apology with his actions in the following weeks.
#He belied his apology by his actions in the following weeks.
do not seem like something an American English speaker would say.
That said, I have been unable to find a citation describing this usage, so it's possible that I'm off-base. I will report back if I find anything definitive.
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
My impression is that while the second sentence appears to be grammatically sound, it isn't idiomatic:
#He could not belie his identity with all the makeup.
In the usage I've seen, the object of belie is never a person, but rather a thing, a concept, or an attribute. For example, we have (from this article)
[H]is actions in the following weeks belied his apology.
which has the meaning "his actions in the following weeks made his apology seem to be a lie." However, the sentences
#He belied his apology with his actions in the following weeks.
#He belied his apology by his actions in the following weeks.
do not seem like something an American English speaker would say.
That said, I have been unable to find a citation describing this usage, so it's possible that I'm off-base. I will report back if I find anything definitive.
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
edited Jan 8 at 12:27
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
answered Jan 7 at 21:01
Michael SeifertMichael Seifert
2,898923
2,898923
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
add a comment |
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
"His actions in the following weeks belied his apology. " Would you please rephrase this sentence replacing the word 'belie' so that I can clearly understand the meaning and usage?
– Mathew KJ
Jan 8 at 4:49
add a comment |
4
They may be interchangeable, but they mean different (not synonymous but related) things.
– Mitch
Jan 7 at 16:44
See also Does this example of "belie" belie a firm grasp of the English language? and to belie = to betray? and Are there any other meanings for “belie??”
– Sven Yargs
Jan 8 at 8:24