Question

In the phrase "They did not know which was more shocking – the treachery of the animals who had leagued themselves with Snowball…" (p. 156), the word treachery most closely means:

Answer 1

betrayal.

Step-by-step explanation:

The word 'treachery' is derived from Old French word 'trechier' which means 'to cheat.' So, the word 'treachery' means 'to cheat' or 'to betray.'

The given phrase is taken from the novel titled 'Animal Farm' written by George Orwell. The novel is a fable that contemplates the events of the Russian Revolution, 1917.

The phrase is stating that the animals at the farm did not know which was more shocking to them, the betrayal of animals or the retribution they witnessed.

So, the close meaning of treachery is betrayal.