| 释义 |
▪ I. pretence, pretense, n.|prɪˈtɛns|
[= late AF. pretensse (c 1471 in Godef.), ad. med.L. *prætensa vbl. n., f. prætens-us for class.L. prætent-us, pa. pple. of prætendĕre: see pretend. The spelling pretense is now usual in the U.S.; cf. defense.]
1. a. An assertion of a right or title; the putting forth of a claim; a claim. Now rare.
1425W. Paston in P. Lett. I. 19 His pretense of his title to the priourie of Bromholme is adnulled. 1495Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 47 Preamble, Youre seid Suppliant [hath] contynually ben seised..therof..hidirto without any pretence or clayme made therto by the seid Duke. 1522in Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1649) 127 To prevent ambiguities and quarrels, each Prince before May 1524, shall declare his pretences. 1667Milton P.L. ii. 825 Spirits that in our just pretenses arm'd Fell with us from on high. 1683Temple Mem. Wks. 1731 I. 410 His Highness had a long Pretence depending at Madrid, for about Two hundred thousand Pounds owing to his Family from that Crown. 1707Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 186 No Man has..more Pretence to speak of Nitre, than M. Boyle. 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvi. III. 679 Marlborough calmly and politely showed that the pretence was unreasonable.
b. Her. in pretence, borne on an inescutcheon to indicate a pretension or claim, e.g. that of a husband to the estates of his wife. escutcheon of pretence, such an inescutcheon.
1562Leigh Armorie 43 If the man haue maried an heyre, he shall beare her cote, none other wise, vntill he haue begotten an heyre of the heyre. Then may he, by the curtesy of armes, beare her armes in an Inscocheon, that is to saye, a scocheon of pretence. 1611J. Guillim Heraldry ii. vii. (1611) 65 Escocheon of Pretence. 1677,1823[see escutcheon 1 c]. 1869Cussans Her. (1882) 231 The only difference between the Arms of William and those of Mary was, that the former bore Nassau in pretence. Ibid. 233 From [1801] until the accession of our present Queen, the Royal Arms were: Quarterly of four: 1 and 4. England: 2. Scotland: 3. Ireland: in Pretence, Hanover, ensigned with an Imperial Crown.
2. The putting forth of a claim to merit, dignity, or personal worth; pretension, profession; ostentation, parade, display.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 81 But for shame she wyll not make suche pretence as to aske them openly. 1567Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 39 My Princelie pretence began to decay. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Disc. xiv. §26 There are no greater fools in the world then such, whose life conformes not to the pretence of their baptisme and institution. 1729Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 87 Persons..who yet make great pretences to religion. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. iv. 20 Fashionable dialect..destitute of any pretence to wit. 1885Manch. Exam. 20 Mar. 8/6 His bearing had always a kind of stateliness, utterly free from pomp or pretence.
†3.
a. An expressed aim, intention, purpose, or design; an intending or purposing; the object aimed at, the end purposed. Obs.
1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 181 In whome he coude fynde neyther synne nor pretense of synne. 1547Boorde Introd. Knowl. xxxii. (1870) 205, I, knowyng theyr pretence, aduertysed them to returne home to England. 1621H. Elsing Debates Ho. Lords (Camden) 102 E. Marshall. Wysheth well to the pretence of the byll, but not his vote thereunto as yt is. 1626W. Vaughan Direct. Health vi. viii. (ed. 6) 169 Cause your bed to be heated with a warming pan: vnlesse your pretence be to harden your members. 1648Milton Tenure Kings (1650) 3 Fainting ere their own pretences, though never so just, be half attain'd. 1700Dryden Pal & Arcite 306 But thou, false Arcite, never shalt obtain Thy bad pretence. 1700Congreve Way of World Prol. 33 To please, this time, has been his sole pretence. 1783Burke Rep. Affairs India Wks. 1842 II. 17 It appears, that the subscription, even in idea or pretence, is not for the use of the company.
b. esp. A false, feigned, or hypocritical profession or pretension.
1545Joye Exp. Dan. vii. 103 He shall do all his fraudelent featis vnder a meruelouse pretence of holynes innocencye and mekenes. 1596Spenser F.Q. iv. v. 23 With boastfull vaine pretense Stept Braggadochio forth, and as his thrall Her claym'd. a1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. 145 Manetho,..with very great pretence hath carried up their Government to an incredible distance before the Creation of Mankind. a1763Shenstone Ess. (1765) 57 How often do we see pretence cultivated in proportion as virtue is neglected. 1872Morley Voltaire i. (1886) 8 A piece of ingeniously reticulated pretence.
4. A profession of purpose; esp. a false profession, a merely feigned aim or object, a pretext, a cloak.
In earlier use the falsity is only expressed by the context.
1538Starkey England i. iii. 85 Vnder the pretense and colure therof [the common weal], euery one of them procuryth the pryuate and the syngular wele. a1648Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 259 He commanded one Francisco Campana..into England, on pretence to confer with the King and Cardinal, but indeed to charge Campejus to burn the Decretal. 1665Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 694 That under the pretence of bringing in several prisoners to Gertruydenbergh, he should open the Town to the Enemy. 1712tr. Pomet's Hist. Drugs I. 195 A good Pretence to cover their Knavery. 1845James A. Neil iv, He had some other object—this is all a pretence.
5. a. An assertion, allegation, or statement as to fact; now usually with implication that it is false or misleading.
1608Topsell Serpents 79 [The Drones] suffer punishment..for pretence of idlenesse, gluttony, extortion, and rauenous greedinesse, to which they are too much adicted. 1642tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. vi. §470. 205 The wife dyeth within one day after the descent, so as the husband could not enter during the coverture for the shortnesse of the time, yet hee shall not bee tenant by the curtesie. And yet according to common pretence there is no default in the husband. c1656Bramhall Replic. ii. 111 How many of the orthodox Clergy without pretence of any other delinquency have been beggered? 1754Sherlock Disc. (1759) I. i. 5 But let us, if you please, examine this Pretence. 1856Emerson Eng. Traits, Aristocr. Wks. (Bohn) II. 79 The pretence is that the noble is of unbroken descent from the Norman... But the fact is otherwise.
b. The action of pretending, as in children's play; make-believe, fiction.
1863Kingsley Water-Bab. ii. 80 Don't you know that this is a fairy tale and all fun and pretence; and that you are not to believe one word of it, even if it is true?
6. The assertion or alleging of a ground, cause, or reason for any action; an alleged ground or reason, a plea; now usually, a trivial, groundless, or fallacious plea or reason, a pretext.
1560J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 392 b, Vnder this pretence of the law, he might by little and little tourn both him and his children out of all theyr landes. 1627Donne Serm. v. (1640) 39 Moses having received a commandement from God,..and having excused himselfe by some other modest and pious pretences. 1654Bramhall Just Vind. ii. (1661) 12 Heresie obtruded upon them under the specious pretences of obedience and Charity. 1674Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 422 This new bauke which occasions it, will serve for a just pretense to the variance of our judgements. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. vi. Wks. 1813 I. 448 A pretence was at hand to justify the most violent proceedings. 1823J. Gillies tr. Aristotle's Rhet. xii. 228 Villany, according to the proverb, wants but a pretence. 1846Greener Sc. Gunnery 166 For what purpose? Under the pretence that the barrels are firmer, and not so liable to become loose. 1880Scribner's Mag. June 284 And ring for the servants on the smallest pretense.
7. attrib. (in sense 5), passing into adj., denoting something that is imitative or ‘phoney’.
1941Punch 17 Sept. 256/3 That lorry buzzing along High Street has got some pretence bombs and it's going to strew them about and we've got to pretend they have been dropped by the Blen. 1953Mind LXII. 209 If I dream of a snake my dream must contain, if not a snake then an illusory or pretence snake.
▪ II. † preˈtence, preˈtense, v. Obs.
[Back-formation from pretenced ppl. a.; or f. late L. prætens-, ppl. stem of prætendĕre: see pretense a.]
1. trans. To offer, proffer. rare.
a1548Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 82 None ceased till they all that would entre were deliuered of their pretence in chalenge royall pretenced.
2. To cloak, to give a feigned appearance to.
1548Gest Pr. Masse A j b, It is also pretensed & cloked wyth the pretense and vsurped name of the Euangelicall truthe. 1648J. Goodwin Right & Might 36 Much more may the most worthy actions and services of men, bee compelled to pretense the worst and vilest deeds.
3. To pretend, profess, allege, esp. falsely.
1567Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 525 To mak publicatioun..that nane pretense ignorance of the same. 1592Warner Alb. Eng. vii. xxxv. (1612) 168 A Priests base Puple, he By his Complottors was pretens'te Duke Clarence sonne to be. 1627W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 257 That impossibility, or difficulty may not be pretensed. 1691Pol. Ballads (1860) II. 27 The Nations salvation From mal-administration Was then pretenc'd by the Saints, but now 'tis abdication.
4. To intend, purpose, design.
1565in Calr. Scott. Papers (1900) II. 119 The overthrow of religion ys pretensed. |