pretension

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pre·ten·sion

(prĭ-tĕn′shən)

1. A specious allegation; a pretext: "the pretension that current political arrangements serve everyone's interests" (Steven Pinker).

a. A claim to something, such as a skill or profession: a writer's pretensions to journalistic detachment.

b. The advancing of such a claim: tried to prevent his pretensions to the throne.

a. The unwarranted assumption that one is deserving of merit, or behavior indicative of such an assumption; pretentiousness: "the popular association of wine with snobbery and pretension" (Paul Lukacs).

b. An instance of pretentiousness: "[He] was a likable, boyish man from a middle-class Southern background, though his aristocratic manner and pretensions suggested otherwise" (Mary V. Dearborn).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pretension

(prɪˈtɛnʃən)

1. (often plural) a false or unsupportable claim, esp to merit, worth, or importance

2. a specious or unfounded allegation; pretext

3. the state or quality of being pretentious

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pre•ten•sion

(prɪˈtɛn ʃən)

n.

1. the laying of a claim to something.

2. a claim or title to something.

3. Often, pretensions. a claim made, often indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit, dignity, or importance.

4. the act of pretending or alleging.

5. an allegation of doubtful veracity.

6. a pretext.

[1590–1600; < Medieval Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	pretension - a false or unsupportable quality pretence, pretense artificiality - the quality of being produced by people and not occurring naturally
	2.	pretension - the advancing of a claim; "his pretension to the crown"; "the town still puts forward pretensions as a famous resort" claim - an assertion of a right (as to money or property); "his claim asked for damages"
	3.	pretension - the quality of being pretentious (behaving or speaking in such a manner as to create a false appearance of great importance or worth) pretentiousness, largeness unnaturalness - the quality of being unnatural or not based on natural principles ostentation - pretentious or showy or vulgar display

pretension

noun

1. affectation, hypocrisy, conceit, show, airs, vanity, snobbery, pomposity, self-importance, ostentation, pretentiousness, snobbishness, vainglory, showiness We liked him for his honesty and lack of pretension.

2. (usually plural) aspiration, claim, demand, profession, assumption, assertion, pretence one of the few fashion designers who does not have pretensions to be an artist

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

pretension

noun

1. A professed rather than a real reason:

pretense, pretext.

2. A legitimate or supposed right to demand something as one's rightful due:

claim, pretense, title.

Slang: dibs.

3. Boastful self-importance or display:

grandioseness, grandiosity, ostentation, pomposity, pompousness, pretentiousness.

Translations

PrätentionRecht

pretension

[prɪˈtenʃən] N

1. (= claim) → pretensión f
to have pretensions to culture → tener pretensiones de cultura, pretender ser culto

2. (= pretentiousness) → presunción f, pretenciosidad f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pretension

[prɪˈtɛnʃ^ən] n

(= affectation) → prétention
the pretensions of the art world → les prétentions du monde artistique
lack of pretension → absence de prétention
without pretension → sans prétention

(= claim) → prétention f
to have no pretensions to sth → n'avoir aucune prétention à qch
to have no pretensions to being sth → n'avoir aucune prétention à être qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pretension

(= claim) → Anspruch m; (social, cultural) → Ambition f; he makes no pretension(s) to originality → er beansprucht keineswegs, originell zu sein

(= ostentation) → Prahlerei f, → Protzerei f (pej inf); (= affectation) → Anmaßung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pretension

[prɪˈtɛnʃ/ən] n (claim) → pretesa
to have no pretensions to sth/to being sth → non avere la pretesa di avere qc/di essere qc

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References in classic literature ?

Her behaviour, I confess, has been calculated to do away with such an idea; I have not detected the smallest impropriety in it--nothing of vanity, of pretension, of levity; and she is altogether so attractive that I should not wonder at his being delighted with her, had he known nothing of her previous to this personal acquaintance; but, against reason, against conviction, to be so well pleased with her, as I am sure he is, does really astonish me.

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They already began to consider themselves on a par with the M'Tavishes, the M'Gillivrays, the Frobishers, and the other magnates of the Northwest, whom they had been accustomed to look up to as the great ones of the earth; and they were a little disposed, perhaps, to wear their suddenly-acquired honors with some air of pretension. Mr.

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"Oh, I've no pretension," I could laugh, "to being the only one.

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During his present short stay, Emma had barely seen him; but just enough to feel that the first meeting was over, and to give her the impression of his not being improved by the mixture of pique and pretension, now spread over his air.

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Let me ask whether every circumstance is not, on the contrary, strictly conformable to these principles, and scrupulously impartial to the rights and pretensions of every class and description of citizens?

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"Why pretensions? Do you think I could not become an artist?"

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This practice has been universal among ladies of any pretensions to breeding in all well-governed States, as far back as the memory of Figures can reach.

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The three pieces are included in the present collection, so the reader can judge for himself what pretensions they possess to be by the author of "The Raven."

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At the same time I read the literature of the subject, and gave the pretensions of Macpherson an unquestioning faith.

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In the wide field of Western territory, therefore, we perceive an ample theatre for hostile pretensions, without any umpire or common judge to interpose between the contending parties.

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your presumption in saying you have resigned all pretensions to a

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Like nations of higher pretensions, the American Indian gives a very different account of his own tribe or race from that which is given by other people.