0 an attempt to deceive someone into believing something that is not true: --
She's not really angry - it's just a put-on.
However, the fashion journalist was not favorable of the oft-times not-so-judicious choice of guest judges, the put-on cattiness of certain contestants, and the lame attempts at "colegiala" accents.
The response sparked part two of the put-on: the album itself.
Where, for example, was the motive for an elaborate scholarly put-on?