Pre-tēnd'1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. PRETENDED; p. pr. & vb. n. PRETENDING.] [Lat. prætenuere, prætentum, from præ, before, and tendere, tentum and tensum, to stretch; It. pretendere, Sp. & Pg. pretender, Fr. prétendre.]
Sense 1. To hold before one; to thrust forward; to extend. [Obs. and rare.] “His target always over her pretended.” Spencer.
Sense 2. Hence, to put forth; to practice; to plot; to intend. [Obs.]
“I'll give her father notice of her disguising and pretended flight.” Shak.
Sense 3. To hold out or put forward as a cloak or cover for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden; to simulate in words or actions.
“Lest that too heavenly form, pretended To hellish falsehood, snare them.” Milton.
Sense 4. To hold out falsely; to offer, as something untrue or unreal; to show hypocritically or for the purpose of deceiving; to simulate; to feign.
“This let him know, Lest, willfully transgressing, he pretend Surprisal.” Milton.
Sense 5. To lay a claim to; to allege a title to; to pretend to; to claim.
“Chiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend.” Dryden.