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Glite Dictionary
Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold

10 8.0
An American general who joined the British and became a famous traitor
  • proper noun
  • /ˈbɛnɪdɪkt ˈɑrnəld/
: Benedict Arnold
  • Many view Benedict Arnold's actions as a betrayal of the United States during its fight for independence.

Examples

  • A year before Benedict Arnold saved his country by winning the Battle of Saratoga, he saved his country by losing the Battle of Valcour Island.

    Blog text (21)

  • Benedict Arnold is often remembered as a notorious traitor in American history.

  • During the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold switched sides, shocking his fellow patriots.

Surface Forms

Benedict Arnold main

Morphology

Benedict + Arnold

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person whose meaning as “a famous traitor” depends on cultural and historical knowledge rather than the literal meanings of the name parts. Knowing the constituent words 'Benedict' and 'Arnold' (which are just names) gives no basis to infer the idiomatic sense, so a B1 learner would not be able to derive the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Benedict Arnold comes from an American general who, during the Revolutionary War, switched sides and joined the British. Because he betrayed his country, calling someone a Benedict Arnold today means calling them a 'traitor'.