pretend

pretend
I UK [prɪˈtend] / US verb
Word forms "pretend":
present tense I/you/we/they pretend he/she/it pretends present participle pretending past tense pretended past participle pretended
**
1) [intransitive/transitive] to behave in a particular way because you want someone to believe that something is true when it is not

We were never going to make the marriage work, so why pretend?

pretend to do something:

She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

pretend (that):

I'm sorry, but I can't just sit back and pretend it hasn't happened.

pretend otherwise (= pretend that something is not true):

I know you hate my haircut, so it's no good pretending otherwise.

pretend something:

It was useless to pretend innocence.

2) [intransitive/transitive] to imagine that something is true when you are playing a game
pretend (that):

They're pretending they're astronauts again.

pretend to be someone/something:

The little girl was pretending to be a lion.

3) [transitive, usually in negatives] to claim that something is true when it is not
pretend (that):

I'm not going to pretend we achieved a lot.

pretend to do something:

I don't pretend to have all the answers.

pretend to something:

He's never pretended to any great knowledge of art.


II UK [prɪˈtend] / US adjective [usually before noun] informal
imaginary. This word is used mainly by children or when speaking to children

Lynn and Mandy are passing round pretend cakes.


English dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pretend — [prē tend′, pritend′] vt. [ME pretenden, to intend < MFr pretendre < L praetendere, to hold forth, allege < prae , before + tendere, to stretch: see THIN] 1. to claim; profess; allege [to pretend ignorance of the law] 2. to claim or… …   English World 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. [1913 Webster] For to what fine he would anon pretend,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pretend to — [phrasal verb] pretend to (something) formal : to claim that you have (something, such as a quality or ability) She pretends to a deep religious devotion, but I don t believe her. usually used in negative statements I don t pretend to any… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pretend — [v1] fake, falsify act, affect, allege, assume, be deceitful, beguile, be hypocritical, bluff, cheat, claim, claim falsely, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, delude, dissemble, dissimulate, dupe, fake out*, feign, fish*, fool, fudge*, hoodwink*,… …   New thesaurus

  • pretend — ► VERB 1) make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not. 2) engage in an imaginative game. 3) simulate (an emotion or quality). 2) (pretend to) lay claim to (a quality or title). ► ADJECTIVE informal ▪ imaginary; make believe …   English terms dictionary

  • pretend — I verb act, affect, assume, be deceitful, be hypocritical, beguile, bemask, bluff, cheat, claim falsely, counterfeit, cozen, deceive, delude, disguise, dissemble, dissimulare, dissimulate, dupe, fake, falsify, feign, fingere, fool, give a false… …   Law dictionary

  • pretend to be — index assume (simulate), impersonate, pose (impersonate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • pretend — (v.) late 14c., to profess, assert, maintain (a claim, etc.), to direct (one s) efforts, from O.Fr. pretendre to lay claim, from L. praetendere stretch in front, put forward, allege, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + tendere to stretch,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • pretend — *assume, affect, simulate, feign, counterfeit, sham Analogous words: *disguise, dissemble, cloak, mask, camouflage: *deceive, delude, mislead, beguile …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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