n. [ OE. traitour, OF. traïtor, traïteur, F. treître, L. traditor, fr. tradere, traditum, to deliver, to give up or surrender treacherously, to betray; trans across, over + dare to give. See Date time, and cf. Betray, Tradition, Traditor, Treason. ] 1. One who violates his allegiance and betrays his country; one guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers his country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place intrusted to his defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished; also, one who takes arms and levies war against his country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. See Treason. [ 1913 Webster ]

O passing traitor, perjured and unjust! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, one who betrays any confidence or trust; a betrayer. “This false traitor death.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Traitorous. [ R. ] Spenser. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To act the traitor toward; to betray; to deceive. [ Obs. ] “ But time, it traitors me.” Lithgow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A traitress. [ Obs. ] Rom. of R. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a traitor; treacherous; traitorous. [ Obs. ] “Traitorly rascals.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. traîtreux. ] 1. Guilty of treason; treacherous; perfidious; faithless; as, a traitorous officer or subject. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting in treason; partaking of treason; implying breach of allegiance; as, a traitorous scheme. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Trai"tor*ous*ly, adv. -- Trai"tor*ous*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Treachery. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]