pretend
1Pretend — 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 …
2pretend — [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… …
3Pretend — 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,… …
4pretend 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… …
5pretend — [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*,… …
6pretend — ► 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 …
7pretend — 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… …
8pretend to be — index assume (simulate), impersonate, pose (impersonate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …
9pretend — (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,… …
10pretend — *assume, affect, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham Analogous words: *disguise, dissemble, cloak, mask, camouflage: *deceive, delude, mislead, beguile …
