I. noun
or pre·tence prēˈten(t)s, prə̇ˈ-, ˈprēˌt-
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French pretensse, from (assumed) Medieval Latin praetensa, from Late Latin, feminine of praetensus (Latin praetentus ), past participle of Latin praetendere
1. : a claim made or implied
theory which has made the … greatest pretense of having a scientific foundation — John Dewey
especially : a claim indicated outwardly but not supported by fact
the pretense that one does not use theater music in religious ceremonies — Virgil Thomson
2.
a. : mere ostentation : pretentiousness
confuse dignity with pomposity and pretense — Bennett Cerf
b. : a pretentious act or assertion
it would be a delight to talk without pretense — Louis Bromfield
3. : an attempt to attain a certain condition or quality
the people were so overwhelmingly ignorant that democracy could only be a pretense — C.L.Jones
laboring … to keep some pretense of order in San Antonio — Green Peyton
— often used with at
without pretense at general inclusiveness — Frank Weitenkampf
4.
a. obsolete : intention , purpose
b. : professed rather than real intention or purpose : cover , pretext , excuse
felt as though he were there under false pretenses — Joseph Conrad
under a pretense of personal devotion to a country in which he was not born — O.S.J.Gogarty
5.
a. : something alleged or believed on slight grounds : an unwarranted assumption
mother's affectionate pretense of his being head of the family — Mary Austin
b. : make-believe , fiction
6. : the act of offering 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
made a pretense of searching his pockets for cigarettes
saw through his pretense of indifference
II. transitive verb
or pretence
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably back-formation from pretensed
obsolete : pretend