PRETEND

pretend. Pretend, v. to play the hypocrit, feign, counterfeit, allege falsely, say, claim, hold before

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Pre‐tend″ (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pretended; p. pr. & vb. n. Pretending.] [[OE. pretenden to lay claim to, F. prétendre, L. praetendere, praetentum, to stretch forward, pretend, simulate, assert; prae before + tendere to stretch. See Tend, v. t. ]] 1. 1. To lay a claim to; to allege a title to; to claim.
Chiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend. Dryden. 2. 2. To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.
Lest that too heavenly form, pretended To hellish falsehood, snare them. Milton. 3. 3. To hold out, or represent, falsely; to put forward, or offer, as true or real (something untrue or unreal); to show hypocritically, or for the purpose of deceiving; to simulate; to feign; as, to pretend friendship.
This let him know, Lest, willfully transgressing, he pretend Surprisal. Milton. 4. 4. To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt.
Such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state. Shak. 5. 5. To hold before one; to extend. “His target always over her pretended.” Spenser.