0 to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, especially in order to deceive people or as a game: --
She's not really hurt - she's only pretending.
[ + to infinitive ] Were you just pretending to be interested?
[ + (that) ] He pretended (that) he didn't mind, but I knew that he did.
2 to behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, esp. in order to deceive people or as a game: --
[ + (that) clause ] The children pretended (that) they were dinosaurs.
[ + to infinitive ] Tom pretends to care.
This is, however, not an excuse for being careless about facts and for acting politically while pretending objectivity.
Otherwise, we forever run the risk of remaining detached and of pretending that we can occupy a position entirely outside ideological discourse.
I'm sure some of them are just pretending they're straight to their friends, but it's become hard to tell them all apart.
These metaphysical remnants, however, neither express nor pretend to offer any metaphysical claims apart from the normative context.
Infants with autism : an investigation of empathy, pretend play, joint attention, and imitation.
You could never pretend to be the new kid on the block, never have that excuse or opportunity.
The real-life disciplinary episode occurred two days before the pretend play episode.
If it is optimal to pretend to be tough, the agent will do all the pretending necessary.
