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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary pre·tend \\pri-ˈtend\\ verb ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Anglo-French pretendre, from Latin praetendere to allege as an excuse, literally, to stretch out, from prae- pre- + tendere to stretch — more at thin DATE 15th century transitive verb1. to give a false appearance of being, possessing, or performing
does not pretend to be a psychiatrist2.
a. to make believe : feign
he pretended deafness
b. to claim, represent, or assert falsely
pretending an emotion he could not really feel3. archaic : venture , undertake intransitive verb1. to feign an action, part, or role especially in play2. to put in a claim
cannot pretend to any particular expertise — Clive BarnesSynonyms: see assume adjective DATE 1911 1. imaginary , make-believe
had a pretend pal with whom he talked2. not genuine : mock
pretend pearls3. being a nonfunctional imitation
a pretend train for the children to play in pretend
c.1380, "to profess or claim," from O.Fr. pretendre "to lay claim," from L. prætendere "stretch in front, put forward, allege," from præ- "before" + tendere "to stretch," from PIE base *ten- "to stretch" (see tend). Main modern sense of "feign, put forward a false claim" is recorded from 1412; the older sense of simply "to claim" is behind the string of royal pretenders (1697) in Eng. history. Meaning "to play, make believe" is recorded from 1865. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ pretend
pre·tend / pri5tend / verb1. ~ (to sb) (that...) to behave in a particular way, in order to make other people believe sth that is not true
假装；佯装:
▪ [V]
I'm tired of having to pretend all the time.
我讨厌老得装假。
Of course I was wrong; it would be hypocritical to pretend otherwise.
当然是我错了；混充正确就是虚伪了。
▪ [V (that)]
He pretended to his family that everything was fine.
他对家人佯称一切都好。
We pretended (that) nothing had happened.
我们假装什么事情也没发生。
▪ [V to inf]
He pretended not to notice.
他假装没注意。
She didn't love him, though she pretended to.
她并不爱他,虽然她装出爱的样子。
▪ [VN]
(formal) She pretended an interest she did not feel.
她毫无兴趣却装作有。
2. (especially of children 尤指儿童) to imagine that sth is true as part of a game
(在游戏中)装扮,扮作,模拟:
▪ [V (that)]
Let's pretend (that) we're astronauts.
咱们装扮成太空人吧。
▪ [V]
They didn't have any real money so they had to pretend.
他们没有真钱,就用假的代替。
3. ~ (to sth) (usually used in negative sentences and questions 通常用于否定句和疑问句) to claim to be, do or have sth, especially when this is not true
自诩；自称；自认为:
▪ [V]
I can't pretend to any great musical talent.
我不能妄称自己多有音乐天赋。
▪ [V (that)]
I don't pretend (that) I know much about the subject, but...
我不敢说自己对这个主题有多了解,但是…
▪ [V to inf]
The book doesn't pretend to be a great work of literature.
这本书并未自封为文学杰作。 adjective [usually before noun]
(informal) (often used by children 常为儿童用语) not real, imaginary
假装的；想像的:
pretend cakes
假糕点 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishpretend
verb ADV. otherwise You know what this is all about, Natasha. Why pretend otherwise? VERB + PRETEND can/could no longer | try to | be dishonest to, be idle to, be ridiculous to, be useless to It's useless to pretend that we might still win. PREP. to He pretended to his boss that he'd written the article. PHRASES go on pretending I can't go on pretending any longer. | just/only pretending Maria knew he was only pretending. | let's pretend Let's pretend it never happened. | stop pretending, there's no point in pretending pretend adj. ⇨ fictional
pretend verb ⇨ pretend (pretend not to notice) ⇨ imagine (Let's pretend.) Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged pre·tendI. \prēˈtend, prə̇ˈ-\ verb
( -ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English pretenden, from Latin praetendere to stretch forth, spread before, bring forward as an excuse, allege, from prae- pre- + tendere to stretch — more at thin transitive verb1.
a. : to hold out the appearance of being, possessing, or performing : profess
< does not pretend to be a social scientist — R.G.Ross >
b. : assert , claim
< in cheap years, it is pretended, workmen are generally more idle — Adam Smith >2.
a. : to make believe : feign , sham
< pretend to be angry >
< pretended to be deaf >
b. : to hold out, represent, or assert falsely : put forward or offer as true or real (something untrue or unreal) : show hypocritically or deceitfully
< man who pretends to be dead so as to evade his creditors and collect on his insurance — P.G.Wodehouse & Guy Bolton >3.
a. : presume , venture
< how that vehicle got to Sidney I do not pretend to say — Rachel Henning >
b. archaic : undertake , attempt
< she could not pretend to go into the sea without proper attendants — Tobias Smollett >
c. archaic : intend 4.
a. obsolete : to hold out before one : extend , offer
b. obsolete : to hold out as a disguise for something else intransitive verb1. obsolete : to direct one's course or efforts : aspire
< those persons who pretend toward Heaven — Jeremy Taylor >2. : to feign an action, part, or role in or as if in play : make believe
< never sincere, always pretending >3.
a. : to put in a claim : lay claim : allege a title — used with to
< those pretending to office were theorists — C.L.Jones >
< for the other sciences … I can pretend to no special competence — Stuart Chase >
b. archaic : to make suit Synonyms: see assume II. adjective: make-believe , imaginary , pretended
< dangle our legs in the water and see who could catch the most pretend fish — H.E.Giles >: imitation < pretend pearls >
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