pretend

pre•tend

[[t]prɪˈtɛnd[/t]] v.

1) to cause or attempt to cause (what is not so) to seem so; claim:

pretending that nothing is wrong[/ex]

2) to put forward a false appearance of, as to deceive; feign:

to pretend illness[/ex]

3) to make believe:

The children pretended they were cowboys[/ex]

4) to presume; venture:

I can't pretend to say what went wrong[/ex]

5) to allege or profess, esp. insincerely or falsely:

He pretended to have no knowledge of her whereabouts[/ex]

6) to make believe

7) to lay claim to (usu. fol. by to):

to pretend to the throne[/ex]

8) to make pretensions (usu. fol. by to):

to pretend to great knowledge[/ex]

9) Obs. to aspire, as a suitor or candidate (fol. by to)

10) cvb inf make-believe; imaginary:

pretend diamonds[/ex]

•

Etymology: 1325–75; < L praetendere to stretch forth, put forward, pretend. See pre-, tend I syn: 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 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.