pretension : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: pretension	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for pretension
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
pretension n a false or unsupportable quality [syn: pretension, pretense, pretence] the advancing of a claim; "his pretension to the crown"; "the town still puts forward pretensions as a famous resort" the quality of being pretentious (behaving or speaking in such a manner as to create a false appearance of great importance or worth) Synonym(s): pretentiousness, pretension, largeness Antonym(s): unpretentiousness
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Pretension \Preten"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.