play false vs betray

play false and betray both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
play false	No	No	Yes	No
betray	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, betray is a hypernym of play false; that is, betray is a word with a broader meaning than play false:

play false: conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end
betray: cause someone to believe an untruth

Other hypernyms of play false include deceive, lead astray.

play false (verb)	betray (verb)
conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end	give away information about somebody
	reveal unintentionally
	cause someone to believe an untruth
	disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake
	deliver to an enemy by treachery
	be sexually unfaithful to one's partner in marriage