Webster's English Dictionary

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pretend

Cross references:
  1. assume                
 
pre.tend \pri-'tend\ vb [ME pretenden, fr. L praetendere to allege as an 
   excuse, lit., to s]tretch in front of like a curtain, fr. prae- pre- + 
   tendere to stretch - more \at THIN 1: to hold out the appearance of being, 
   possessing, or performing : P ROFESS 2a: to make believe : FEIGN  2b: to 
   hold out, represent, or assert falsely  3: VENTURE, UNDERTAKE  1: to feign 
   an action, part, or role in play  2: to put in a claim