Hypertext Webster Gateway: "pretension"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Pretension \Pre*ten"sion\, n. [Cf. F. pr['e]tention. See
{Pretend}, {Tension}.]
1. The act of pretending, or laying claim; the act of
asserting right or title.
The arrogant pretensions of Glengarry contributed to
protract the discussion. --Macaulay.
2. A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or
assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a
certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship.
This was but an invention and pretension given out
by the Spaniards. --Bacon.
Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor
their pretensions. --L'Estrange.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
pretension
n 1: a false or unsupportable quality [syn: {pretense}, {pretence}]
2: the advancing of a claim; "his pretension to the crown";
"the town still puts forward pretensions as a famous
resort"
3: the quality of being pretentious (creating a false
appearance of great importance or worth) [syn: {pretentiousness}]
[ant: {unpretentiousness}]
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