transitive verb

1. to claim; profess; allege to pretend ignorance of the law
2. to claim or profess falsely; feign; simulate to pretend anger
3. to make believe, as in play to pretend to be astronauts

Etymology: ME pretenden, to intend < MFr pretendre < L praetendere, to hold forth, allege < prae-, before + tendere, to stretch: see thin

intransitive verb

1. to lay claim to pretend to a throne
2. to make believe in play or in an attempt to deceive; feign

adjective