pretend
pretend
/prɪˈtend/
1 intransitive, transitive to behave in a particular way, in order to make other people believe something that is not true I'm tired of having to pretend all the time.
Of course I was wrong; it would be hypocritical to pretend otherwise.
pretend to somebody that… He pretended to his family that everything was fine.
pretend (that)… We pretended (that) nothing had happened.
She pretended (that) she was his niece.
pretend to do something I pretended to be asleep.
He pretended not to notice.
She didn't love him, though she pretended to.
pretend something (formal) She pretended an interest she did not feel.
Maria knew he was only pretending.
I can't go on pretending any longer.
Couldn't you at least pretend to enjoy it?
It would be foolish to pretend that there are no risks involved.
It's useless to pretend that we might still win.
He pretended to his boss that he'd written the article.
Collocations
adverb
verb + pretend
can no longer
try to
be dishonest to
preposition
to
phrases
go on pretending
just pretending
only pretending
They didn't have any real money so they had to pretend.
pretend (that)… Let’s pretend (that) we’re astronauts.
3 intransitive, transitive (usually used in negative sentences and questions) to claim to be, do or have something, especially when this is not true pretend to something I can't pretend to any great musical talent.
pretend (that)… I don’t pretend (that) I know much about the subject, but…
pretend to be/do/have something The book doesn't pretend to be a great work of literature.
Word Origin
late Middle English: from Latin praetendere ‘stretch forth, claim’, from prae ‘before’ + tendere ‘stretch’. The adjective dates from the early 20th cent.
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