Adjacent Words

Pretend definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PRETEND', v.t. [L. proetendo; proe, before, and tendo, to tend, to reach or stretch.]
1. Literally, to reach or stretch forward; used by Dryden, but this use is not well authorized.
2. To hold out, as a false appearance; to offer something feigned instead of that which is real; to simulate, in words or actions.
This let him know,
Lest willfully transgressing, he pretend
Surprisal.
3. To show hypocritically; as, to pretend great zeal when the heart is not engaged; to pretend patriotism for the sake of gaining popular applause or obtaining an office.
4. To exhibit as a cover for something hidden.
Lest that too heavenly form, pretended
To hellish falsehood, snare them. [Not in use.]
5. To claim.
Chiefs shall be grudg'd the part which they pretend.
[In this we generally use pretend to.]
6. To intend; to design. [Not used.]
PRETEND', v.t. To put in a claim, truly or falsely; to hold out the appearance of being, possessing or performing. A man may pretend to be a physician, and pretend to perform great cures. Bad men often pretend to be patriots.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: imagined as in a play; "the make-believe world of theater"; "play money"; "dangling their legs in the water to catch pretend fish" [syn: make-believe, pretend] n
1: the enactment of a pretense; "it was just pretend" [syn: make-believe, pretend] v
1: make believe with the intent to deceive; "He feigned that he was ill"; "He shammed a headache" [syn: feign, sham, pretend, affect, dissemble]
2: behave unnaturally or affectedly; "She's just acting" [syn: dissemble, pretend, act]
3: put forward a claim and assert right or possession of; "pretend the title of King"
4: put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation; "I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong" [syn: guess, venture, pretend, hazard]
5: represent fictitiously, as in a play, or pretend to be or act like; "She makes like an actress" [syn: make, pretend, make believe]
6: state insincerely; "He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt"; "She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber"; "She pretends to be an expert on wine" [syn: profess, pretend]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French pretendre, from Latin praetendere to allege as an excuse, literally, to stretch out, from prae- pre- + tendere to stretch — more at thin Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing <does not pretend to be a psychiatrist> 2. a. to make believe ; feign <he pretended deafness> b. to claim, represent, or assert falsely <pretending an emotion he could not really feel> 3. archaic venture, undertake intransitive verb 1. to feign an action, part, or role especially in play 2. to put in a claim <cannot pretend to any particular expertise — Clive Barnes> Synonyms: see assume II. adjective Date: 1911 1. imaginary, make-believe <had a pretend pal with whom he talked> 2. not genuine ; mock <pretend pearls> 3. being a nonfunctional imitation <a pretend train for the children to play in>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & adj. --v. 1 tr. claim or assert falsely so as to deceive (pretend knowledge; pretended that they were foreigners). 2 tr. imagine to oneself in play (pretended to be monsters; pretended it was night). 3 tr. a profess, esp. falsely or extravagantly (does not pretend to be a scholar). b (as pretended adj.) falsely claim to be such (a pretended friend). 4 intr. (foll. by to) a lay claim to (a right or title etc.). b profess to have (a quality etc.). --adj. colloq. pretended; in pretence (pretend money). Etymology: ME f. F prétendre or f. L (as PRAE-, tendere tent-, later tens- stretch)

Webster's 1913 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. For to what fine he would anon pretend, That know I well. --Chaucer. 2. To hold out the appearance of being, possessing, or performing; to profess; to make believe; to feign; to sham; as, to pretend to be asleep. ``[He] pretended to drink the waters.'' --Macaulay.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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. t. ] 1. To lay a claim to; to allege a title to; to claim. Chiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend. --Dryden. 2. To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden. [R.] Lest that too heavenly form, pretended To hellish falsehood, snare them. --Milton. 3. To hold out, or represent, falsely; to put forward, or offer, as true or real (something untrue or unreal); to show hypocritically, or for the purpose of deceiving; to simulate; to feign; as, to pretend friendship. This let him know, Lest, willfully transgressing, he pretend Surprisal. --Milton. 4. To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt. [Obs.] Such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state. --Shak. 5. To hold before one; to extend. [Obs.] ``His target always over her pretended.'' --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(pretends, pretending, pretended) 1. If you pretend that something is the case, you act in a way that is intended to make people believe that it is the case, although in fact it is not. I pretend that things are really okay when they're not... Sometimes the boy pretended to be asleep... I had no option but to pretend ignorance. VERB: V that, V to-inf, V n 2. If children or adults pretend that they are doing something, they imagine that they are doing it, for example as part of a game. She can sunbathe and pretend she's in Spain... The children pretend to be different animals dancing to the music. VERB: V that, V to-inf 3. If you do not pretend that something is the case, you do not claim that it is the case. We do not pretend that the past six years have been without problems for us... Within this lecture I cannot pretend to deal adequately with dreams. VERB: with neg, V that, V to-inf

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Feign, affect, simulate, counterfeit, sham. 2. Lay claim to, claim, allege a title to. II. v. n. 1. Make believe, make a show, profess, feign, sham. 2. Strive after, lay claim to.

Moby Thesaurus

act, act a part, adopt, affect, aim to, allege, appropriate, arrogate, assume, attempt, attempt to, avow, bluff, challenge, claim, counterfeit, cover up, dare, dare to, dissemble, dissimulate, do a bit, dramatize, encroach, endeavor, fake, feign, four-flush, gammon, hazard, histrionize, infringe, invade, lay claim to, let on, let on like, make a pretense, make as if, make believe, make bold, make free, make like, make out, make out like, overact, play, play God, play a part, play a scene, play possum, playact, presume, pretend to, pretext, profess, protest too much, purport, put on, put on airs, represent, seek to, seize, sham, simulate, strive to, study to, take over, take the liberty, trespass, try, try and, try to, tug the heartstrings, undertake, usurp, venture, venture to, wear