Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person who deserts and betrays an organization, country, or set of principles: A renegade is someone who abandons a group, cause, or belief system and often works against it.
   • An outlaw or rebel: A renegade can also refer to someone who lives outside the law or societal norms, often in a rebellious manner.

2. Adjective:

   • Having treacherously changed allegiance: Describes a person or group that has deserted a cause, party, or set of principles to which they were once loyal.

3. Verb:

   • To become a renegade; to desert and betray a group or cause: The act of abandoning one's original loyalties or principles.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The general was branded a renegade for plotting against the government.
  • In the story, the renegade lived outside the kingdom, raiding merchant caravans.

• Adjective:

  • The renegade soldiers formed their own militia.
  • They were shunned for their renegade views on party policy.

• Verb (less common):

  • He renegaded from the organization, taking sensitive information with him.

Advanced Usage

• "To turn renegade": This phrase emphasizes the act of becoming a traitor or outlaw.
  • Fearing capture, the spy decided to turn renegade and sell secrets to the enemy.

Variants and Related Words

• Renegation (n, rare): The act of being a renegade or deserting a cause.
• Renegado (n, archaic): An older form of the word "renegade."

Synonyms

• Noun: Traitor, defector, deserter, turncoat, apostate, rebel, outlaw.
• Adjective: Traitorous, rebellious, dissident, breakaway.
• Verb: Defect, desert, rebel, revolt.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Phrases

• Renegade on (a promise/deal) (informal): To break or fail to honor a promise or agreement. (Note: This is a more informal, extended use of the core concept of betrayal).
  • He renegaded on his promise to support the project.

Related Idioms

• A renegade from: Used to specify the group or cause that has been betrayed.
  • He was a renegade from the old order, seeking to build something new.

Adjective

1. having deserted a cause or principle
   • some provinces had proved recreant
   • renegade supporters of the usurper

Noun

1. a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
2. someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw

Verb

1. break with established customs