the act of pretending attempting to appear to be or be doing something that one is not
Sir, your wife, under pretence of keeping a bawdy-house, is a receiver of stolen goods — Dr Johnson
an outward and often insincere or inadequate display of something; a semblance
The chairman was struggling to maintain some pretence of order in the meeting
(+ to) a claim made or implied, esp one not supported by fact
He made no pretence to learning
[Middle English from early French pretensse, ultimately from late Latin praetensus, past part. of Latin praetendere: see pretend1]