n. - The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption;
pretension.
n. - The act of holding out, or offering, to others something
false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical;
deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false
show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of
patriotism; on pretense of revenging Caesar's death.
n. - That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or
hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.