| 释义 |
pretentious, a.|prɪˈtɛnʃəs|
[ad. F. prétentieux (17th c. in Littré), ad. L. type *prætentiōs-us, f. prætentiōn-em pretension: see -ious.]
1. Characterized by, or full of, pretension; professing or making claim to great merit or importance, esp. when unwarranted; making an exaggerated outward show; showy, ostentatious.
1845Lever O'Donoghue xxxi, An hotel of more pretensious exterior. 1851J. H. Newman Cath. in Eng. 360 Round your pretentious sentences, and discharge your concentrated malignity on the defenceless. 1857Kingsley Two Y. Ago xix, As severe as he dared on all Pharisees and pretentious persons whatsoever. 1868Browning Ring & Bk. ii. 515 Pretentious poverty At its wits' end to keep appearance up. 1907Athenæum 25 May 641/3 His two larger pictures..are as clever, but a little more pretentious.
2. Of the nature of a pretension. rare—1.
1886W. Chappell in N. & Q. 7th Ser. II. 4/1 After which [Thomson's death] Mallet put in a pretentious claim [to be the author of ‘Rule Britannia’], against all evidence. |