About The Word Pretense
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Learn about the word Pretense to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Pretense definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.
Pretense
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Pretense Definition And Meaning |
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What's The Definition Of Pretense?
[n] the act of giving a false appearance; "his conformity was only pretending"
[n] an artful or simulated semblance; "under the guise of friendship he betrayed them" [n] a false or unsupportable quality [n] imaginative intellectual play [n] pretending with intention to deceive Synonyms | Synonyms for Pretense: dissembling | feigning | feigning | guise | make-believe | pretence | pretence | pretence | pretence | pretending | pretension | pretext | simulation Related Terms | Find terms related to Pretense: See Also | affectation | appearance | artificiality | bluff | color | colour | deceit | deceit | deception | deception | dissembling | dissimulation | hypocrisy | imagery | imagination | imaging | lip service | make-believe | mannerism | masquerade | mental imagery | misrepresentation | pose | pretext | semblance | show | stalking-horse Pretense In Webster's Dictionary \Pre*tense"\, Pretence \Pre*tence\, n. [LL. praetensus,
for L. praetentus, p. p. of praetendere. See {Pretend}, and
cf. {Tension}.]
1. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption;
pretension. --Spenser.
Primogeniture can not have any pretense to a right
of solely inheriting property or power. --Locke.
I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to
the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford. --Evelyn.
2. The act of holding out, or offering, to others something
false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or
hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and
concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as,
pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on
pretense of revenging C[ae]sar's death.
3. That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical
show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.
Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretense Of
proffered peace, delude the Latian prince. --Dryden.
4. Intention; design. [Obs.]
A very pretense and purpose of unkindness. --Shak.
Note: See the {Note} under {Offense}.
Syn: Mask; appearance; color; show; pretext; excuse.
Usage: {Pretense}, {Pretext}. A pretense is something held
out as real when it is not so, thus falsifying the
truth. A pretext is something woven up in order to
cover or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or
reasons. Pretext is often, but not always, used in a
bad sense.
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