English Dictionary: pretension | by the DICT Development Group |
2 results for pretension | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
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From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Pretension \Pre*ten"sion\, n. [Cf. F. pr[82]tention. See {Pretend}, {Tension}.] 1. The act of pretending, or laying claim; the act of asserting right or title. The arrogant pretensions of Glengarry contributed to protract the discussion. --Macaulay. 2. A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship. This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. --Bacon. Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions. --L'Estrange. |