I. prēˈtend, prə̇ˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English pretenden, from Latin praetendere to stretch forth, spread before, bring forward as an excuse, allege, from prae- pre- + tendere to stretch — more at thin
transitive verb
1.
a. : to hold out the appearance of being, possessing, or performing : profess
does not pretend to be a social scientist — R.G.Ross
b. : assert , claim
in cheap years, it is pretended, workmen are generally more idle — Adam Smith
2.
a. : to make believe : feign , sham
pretend to be angry
pretended to be deaf
b. : to hold out, represent, or assert falsely : put forward or offer as true or real (something untrue or unreal) : show hypocritically or deceitfully
man who pretends to be dead so as to evade his creditors and collect on his insurance — P.G.Wodehouse & Guy Bolton
3.
a. : presume , venture
how that vehicle got to Sidney I do not pretend to say — Rachel Henning
b. archaic : undertake , attempt
she could not pretend to go into the sea without proper attendants — Tobias Smollett
c. archaic : intend
4.
a. obsolete : to hold out before one : extend , offer
b. obsolete : to hold out as a disguise for something else
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : to direct one's course or efforts : aspire
those persons who pretend toward Heaven — Jeremy Taylor
2. : to feign an action, part, or role in or as if in play : make believe
never sincere, always pretending
3.
a. : to put in a claim : lay claim : allege a title — used with to
those pretending to office were theorists — C.L.Jones
for the other sciences … I can pretend to no special competence — Stuart Chase
b. archaic : to make suit
Synonyms: see assume
II. adjective
: make-believe , imaginary , pretended
dangle our legs in the water and see who could catch the most pretend fish — H.E.Giles
: imitation
pretend pearls