Pretend

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /pɹɪˈtÉ›nd/
• Rhymes: -É›nd

Origin

From Anglo-Norman pretendre, Middle French pretendre (French prétendre ("to claim, demand")), from Latin praetendere, present active infinitive of praetendō ("put forward, hold out, pretend"), from prae- ("pre-") + tendō ("stretch"); see tend.

Full definition of pretend

Verb

1. To claim, allege, especially when falsely or as a form of deliberate deception. from 14th c.
• 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII.23:"After what past at Upton, so soon to engage in a new amour with another woman, while I fancied, and you pretended, your heart was bleeding for me!"
• 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 5, ‘It's rather like a beautiful Inverness cloak one has inherited. Much too good to hide away, so one wears it instead of an overcoat and pretends it's an amusing new fashion.’
• 2009, "Vanity publishing", The Economist, 13 Apr 2009:I have nothing but contempt for people who hire ghost-writers. But at least most faux authors have the decency to pretend that they are sweating blood over "their" book.
2. To feign, affect (a state, quality, etc.). from 15th c.
• MiltonThis let him know,
  Lest, willfully transgressing, he pretend
  Surprisal.
• 2007, The Guardian, 29 Oct 2007:Gap and other clothes manufacturers should stop using small subcontractors because they are difficult to control. Instead, they should open up their own fully-owned production facilities so that they cannot pretend ignorance when abuses are committed.
3. To lay claim to (an ability, status, advantage, etc.). from 15th c. (originally used without to)
• DrydenChiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend.
• 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.25:People observed the diversity of schools and the acerbity of their disputes, and decided that all alike were pretending to knowledge which was in fact unattainable.
4. To make oneself appear to do or be doing something; to engage in make-believe.
• 1814, Jane Austen, Mansfield Park:"The truth is, Ma'am," said Mrs. Grant, pretending to whisper across the table to Mrs. Norris, "that Dr. Grant hardly knows what the natural taste of our apricot is ...."
• 2003, Duncan Campbell, The Guardian, 23 Jan 2003:Luster claimed that the women had consented to sex and were only pretending to be asleep.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.
• MiltonLest that too heavenly form, pretended
  To hellish falsehood, snare them.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt.
• ShakespeareSuch as shall pretend
  Malicious practices against his state.
7. (transitive, obsolete) To hold before one; to extend.
• 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.11:Pastorella … Was by the Captaine all this while defended,
  Who, minding more her safety then himselfe,
  His target alwayes over her pretended ….

Usage notes

This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See

Related terms

• pretender
• pretense
• pretension
• pretentious
• pretentiousness