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Context vs Pretext - What's the difference?

context | pretext |

As nouns the difference between context and pretext

is that context is the surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence while pretext is a false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.

As verbs the difference between context and pretext

is that context is to knit or bind together; to unite closely while pretext is to employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.

As an adjective context

is knit or woven together; close; firm.

context

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The surroundings, circumstances, environment, background or settings that determine, specify, or clarify the meaning of an event or other occurrence.
    • In what context did your attack on him happen? - We had a pretty tense relationship at the time, and when he insulted me I snapped.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=September 7 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Moldova 0-5 England , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=The display and result must be placed in the context that was it was against a side that looked every bit their Fifa world ranking of 141 - but England completed the job with efficiency to record their biggest away win in 19 years.}}
  • (senseid) (linguistics) The text in which a word or passage appears and which helps ascertain its meaning.
  • (archaeology) The surroundings and environment in which an artifact is found and which may provide important clues about the artifact's function and/or cultural meaning.
  • (mycology) The trama or flesh of a mushroom.

    • Antonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    () * context-dependent * context-free * context-sensitive * in context, compare in isolation * keyword in context, KWIC * keyword out of context, KWOC * out of context * take out of context

    Quotations

    * (English Citations of "context")

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To knit or bind together; to unite closely.
    • (Feltham)
  • * R. Junius
    • The whole world's frame, which is contexted only by commerce and contracts.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Knit or woven together; close; firm.
  • * Derham
    • The coats, without, are context and callous.
    ----

    pretext

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.
    • The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=When that metaphor proves untenable, he switches to insisting that women are like beer but that’s mainly as a pretext to drink until he passes out in a father-son bonding haze.}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (Pretexting) (en verb)
  • To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.
    • The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.

    Synonyms

    * blag (UK)

    See also

    * (Social engineering)

    External links

    * *