Pretence

1. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension.
2. The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging Cæsar's death.
3. That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.
4. Intention; design.

See the Note under Offense.