( BrE ) ( AmE pretense ) noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ elaborate
▪
It was all an elaborate ~.
▪ flimsy , slight
▪
There is not even the slightest ~ of trying to make it realistic.
VERB + PRETENCE/PRETENSE
▪ keep up , maintain , sustain ( BrE )
▪
I don't know how long I can keep up this ~ of happiness.
▪ abandon , drop , give up
PRETENCE/PRETENSE + VERB
▪ be over
▪
Now that the ~ was over, he could tell them what he really thought.
PREPOSITION
▪ under the ~ of
▪
He tried to get close to her under the ~ of examining the pictures on the wall.
▪ ~ at
▪
His ~ at friendliness fooled no one.
▪ ~ of
▪
He was hanged without even the ~ of a proper trial.
PHRASES
▪ abandon all ~ , abandon any ~
▪
She abandoned all ~ of neutrality and began to cheer.
▪ make a ~ , make no ~
▪
I make no ~ to be an expert on the subject.
▪ by false ~s , under false ~s
▪
He was accused of obtaining money under false ~s.