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Feign vs Dissimulate - What's the difference?

feign | dissimulate | Related terms |

Feign is a related term of dissimulate.


As verbs the difference between feign and dissimulate

is that feign is to make a false copy or version of; to counterfeit while dissimulate is to practise deception by concealment or omission or by feigning a false appearance.

As an adjective dissimulate is

feigning; simulating; pretending.

feign

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To make a false copy or version of; to counterfeit.
    • The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
    They feigned her signature on the cheque.
  • To imagine; to invent; to pretend.
    • He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.
  • To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent.
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert's debut goal gives England victory over Scotland'' (in ''The Guardian , 14 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/14/england-scotland-international-friendly]
    • Cahill was beaten far too easily for Miller's goal, although the striker deserves the credit for the way he controlled Alan Hutton's right-wing delivery, with his back to goal, feigned to his left then went the other way and pinged a splendid left-foot shot into Hart's bottom right-hand corner.
  • To hide or conceal.
    • Jessica feigned the fact that she had not done her homework.

    Synonyms

    * (represent by a false appearance) front, put on airs

    dissimulate

    English

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To practise deception by concealment or omission or by feigning a false appearance.
  • * 1912 Booth Tarkington, The Flirt , Chapter 13
    • But now, as he paced alone in his apartment, now that he was not upon exhibition, now when there was no eye to behold him, and there was no reason to dissimulate or veil a single thought or feeling, his look was anything but open; the last trace of frankness disappeared; the muscles at mouth and eyes shifted; lines and planes intermingled and altered subtly; there was a moment of misty transformation -- and the face of another man emerged. It was the face of a man uninstructed in mercy; it was a shrewd and planning face: alert, resourceful, elaborately perceptive, and flawlessly hard.
  • To hide or disguise by adopting a false appearance.
  • *
    • Public feeling required the meagreness of nature to be dissimulated by tall barricades of frizzed curls and bows.
  • (rare) To connive at; to wink at; to pretend not to notice.
  • * 1533 John Bourchier (Lord Berners), The Golden Boke of Marcus Aurelius 9:
    • That al thyng be forgiven to theim that be olde and broken, and to theim that be yonge and lusty to dissimulate for a time, and nothyng to be forgiuen to very yong children.

    Derived terms

    * dissimulation

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Feigning; simulating; pretending.
    • (Henryson)

    References

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