Verb

(en verb)

(lb) To appear; to look outwardly; to be perceived as.

* 1813 (14^thc.), (Dante Alighieri), The Vision of Hell as translated by The Rev. H. F. Cary.

*:He, from his face removing the gross air, / Oft his left hand forth stretch'd, and seem'd alone / By that annoyance wearied.

*

*:They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too..

*, title=The Mirror and the Lamp

, chapter=2 citation , passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired.}}

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=19 citation , passage=Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.}}

*{{quote-news, year=2012, date=August 5, author=Nathan Rabin

, title= TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993) , passage=So while Ralph generally seems to inhabit a different, more glorious and joyful universe than everyone else here his yearning and heartbreak are eminently relateable. Ralph sometimes appears to be a magically demented sprite who has assumed the form of a boy, but he’s never been more poignantly, nakedly, movingly human than he is here.}}

(lb) To befit; to beseem.

:(Spenser)

Verb

(en verb)

To claim, allege, especially when falsely or as a form of deliberate deception.

* 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!"

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=5 citation , passage=‘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.

To feign, affect (a state, quality, etc.).

* Milton

This 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.

To lay claim (to) (an ability, status, advantage, etc.). (originally used without to )

* Dryden

Chiefs 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.

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.

(obsolete) To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.

* Milton

Lest that too heavenly form, pretended / To hellish falsehood, snare them.

(obsolete) To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt.

* Shakespeare

Such as shall pretend / Malicious practices against his state.

(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 […].