Pretense — Defs

01 n. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension.

1.
The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension.
“Primogeniture can not have any pretense to a right of solely inheriting property or power.” — Locke.

“I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford.” — Evelyn.
2.
The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging Cæsar's death.
3.
That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.
“Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretense Of proffered peace, delude the Latian prince.” — Dryden.
4.
Intention; design.[Obs.]
“A very pretense and purpose of unkindness.” — Shak.

Syn. Mask; appearance; color; show; pretext; excuse.

-- Pretense, Pretext. A pretense is something held out as real when it is not so, thus falsifying the truth. A pretext is something woven up in order to cover or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or reasons. Pretext is often, but not always, used in a bad sense.