| 单词 | pretext |
| 释义 | pretext (once / 690 pages) n Pretext is a false reason given for doing something. If you catch your mother going through your drawers, and she says she was just tidying up, cleaning was her pretext for snooping. Sometimes a government will try to take away its citizens' rights under the pretext of national security. Though pretext sounds like text that comes before other text, the text you see in it is actually more closely related to the word textile, meaning fabric. Its Latin root meant pretty much "to pull the wool over someone's eyes." WORD FAMILYpretext: pretexts USAGE EXAMPLESThe pretext was to bomb the Islamic State; it was a ruse. The New Yorker(Dec 30, 2016) Israel says the Palestinians are using the issue of settlements as a pretext to avoid direct talks. BBC(Dec 29, 2016) Observers say the president’s initiative was the pretext for a series of pro-Catholic organisations – sponsored by big-money backers – to mobilise. The Guardian(Dec 19, 2016) 1n something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason Syn|Hypo|Hyper stalking-horse putoff a pretext for delay or inaction dissembling, feigning, pretence, pretense pretending with intention to deceive 2n an artful or simulated semblance Syn|Hyper guise, pretence, pretense color, colour, gloss, semblance an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading |
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