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Pretense vs. Pretence

Pretense and Pretence Definitions

Pretense

A false appearance or action intended to deceive
"He ran the back of his hand up her cheek, with the pretense of wiping away sweat" (Jonathan Safran Foer).

Pretence

Variant of pretense.

Pretense

A professed but feigned reason or excuse; a pretext
Left the room under the pretense of having to make a phone call.

Pretence

(British spelling) An act of pretending or pretension; a false claim or pretext.

Pretense

Something imagined or pretended
"Ardor had atrophied and weariness had taken its place ... their connection was pretense" (Deborah Weisgall).

Pretence

Something asserted or alleged on slight evidence; an unwarranted assumption.
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Pretense

The quality or state of being pretentious; ostentation
So modest as to be free from any hint of pretense.

Pretence

(obsolete) Intention; design.

Pretense

A false or studied show; an affectation
Models making a pretense of nonchalance.

Pretence

See Pretense, Pretenseful, Pretenseless.

Pretense

A claim or assertion to a right, especially a false one
"a celebrity with scarcely any pretense to talent or achievement" (Joseph Epstein).

Pretence

A false or unsupportable quality
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Pretense

(US) A false or hypocritical profession
Under pretense of friendliness

Pretence

An artful or simulated semblance;
Under the guise of friendship he betrayed them

Pretense

Intention or purpose not real but professed.
With only a pretense of accuracy

Pretence

Pretending with intention to deceive

Pretense

An unsupported claim made or implied.

Pretence

Imaginative intellectual play
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Pretense

An insincere attempt to reach a specific condition or quality.

Pretence

The act of giving a false appearance;
His conformity was only pretending

Pretense

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.
I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford.

Pretense

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.

Pretense

That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.
Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretenseOf proffered peace, delude the Latian prince.

Pretense

Intention; design.
A very pretense and purpose of unkindness.

Pretense

The act of giving a false appearance;
His conformity was only pretending

Pretense

Pretending with intention to deceive

Pretense

Imaginative intellectual play

Pretense

A false or unsupportable quality

Pretense

An artful or simulated semblance;
Under the guise of friendship he betrayed them

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