pretend

pretend
/pri tend"/, v.t.
1. to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so: to pretend illness; to pretend that nothing is wrong.
2. to appear falsely, as to deceive; feign: to pretend to go to sleep.
3. to make believe: The children pretended to be cowboys.
4. to presume; venture: I can't pretend to say what went wrong.
5. to allege or profess, esp. insincerely or falsely: He pretended to have no knowledge of her whereabouts.
v.i.
6. to make believe.
7. to lay claim to (usually fol. by to): She pretended to the throne.
8. to make pretensions (usually fol. by to): He pretends to great knowledge.
9. Obs. to aspire, as a suitor or candidate (fol. by to).
adj.
10. Informal. make-believe; simulated; counterfeit: pretend diamonds.
[1325-75; ME pretenden < L praetendere to stretch forth, put forward, pretend. See PRE-, TEND1]
Syn. 1. simulate, fake, sham, counterfeit. PRETEND, AFFECT, ASSUME, FEIGN imply an attempt to create a false appearance. TO PRETEND is to create an imaginary characteristic or to play a part: to pretend sorrow. TO AFFECT is to make a consciously artificial show of having qualities that one thinks would look well and impress others: to affect shyness. TO ASSUME is to take on or put on a specific outward appearance, often (but not always) with intent to deceive: to assume an air of indifference. TO FEIGN implies using ingenuity in pretense, and some degree of imitation of appearance or characteristics: to feign surprise.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pretend — Pre*tend , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pretended}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Pretending}.] [OE. pretenden to lay claim to, F. pr[ e]tendre, L. praetendere, praetentum, to stretch forward, pretend, simulate, assert; prae before + tendere to stretch. See {Tend}, v …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pretend — [prē tend′, pritend′] vt. [ME pretenden, to intend < MFr pretendre < L praetendere, to hold forth, allege < prae , before + tendere, to stretch: see THIN] 1. to claim; profess; allege [to pretend ignorance of the law] 2. to claim or… …   English World dictionary

  • Pretend — Pre*tend , v. i. 1. To put in, or make, a claim, truly or falsely; to allege a title; to lay claim to, or strive after, something; usually with to. Countries that pretend to freedom. Swift. [1913 Webster] For to what fine he would anon pretend,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pretend to — [phrasal verb] pretend to (something) formal : to claim that you have (something, such as a quality or ability) She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don t believe her. usually used in negative statements I don t pretend to any… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pretend — [v1] fake, falsify act, affect, allege, assume, be deceitful, beguile, be hypocritical, bluff, cheat, claim, claim falsely, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, delude, dissemble, dissimulate, dupe, fake out*, feign, fish*, fool, fudge*, hoodwink*,… …   New thesaurus

  • pretend — ► VERB 1) make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not. 2) engage in an imaginative game. 3) simulate (an emotion or quality). 2) (pretend to) lay claim to (a quality or title). ► ADJECTIVE informal ▪ imaginary; make believe …   English terms dictionary

  • pretend — I verb act, affect, assume, be deceitful, be hypocritical, beguile, bemask, bluff, cheat, claim falsely, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, delude, disguise, dissemble, dissimulare, dissimulate, dupe, fake, falsify, feign, fingere, fool, give a false… …   Law dictionary

  • pretend to be — index assume (simulate), impersonate, pose (impersonate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • pretend — (v.) late 14c., to profess, assert, maintain (a claim, etc.), to direct (one s) efforts, from O.Fr. pretendre to lay claim, from L. praetendere stretch in front, put forward, allege, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + tendere to stretch,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pretend — *assume, affect, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham Analogous words: *disguise, dissemble, cloak, mask, camouflage: *deceive, delude, mislead, beguile …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • pretend — I UK [prɪˈtend] / US verb Word forms pretend : present tense I/you/we/they pretend he/she/it pretends present participle pretending past tense pretended past participle pretended ** 1) [intransitive/transitive] to behave in a particular way… …   English dictionary

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