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Webster 1913 Edition

Pretext

Pre′text

(?; 277)
,
Noun.
[F.
prétexte
, L.
praetextum
, fr.
praetextus
, p. p. of
praetexere
to weave before, allege as an excuse;
prae
before +
texere
to weave. See
Text
.]
Ostensible reason or motive assigned or assumed as a color or cover for the real reason or motive; pretense; disguise.
They suck the blood of those they depend on, under a
pretext
of service and kindness.
L’Estrange.
With how much or how little
pretext
of reason.
Dr. H. More.
Syn. – Pretense; excuse; semblance; disguise; appearance. See
Pretense
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Pretext

PRETEXT'

,
Noun.
[L. proetextus.] Pretense; false appearance; ostensible reason or motive assigned or assumed as a color or cover for the real reason or motive. He gave plausible reasons for this conduct, but these were only a pretext to conceal his real motives.
He made pretext that I should only go
And help convey his freight; but thought not so.
They suck the blood of those they depend on, under a pretext of service and kindness.

Definition 2024

pretext

pretext

English

Noun

pretext ‎(plural pretexts)

  1. A false, contrived, or assumed purpose or reason; a pretense.
    The reporter called the company on the pretext of trying to resolve a consumer complaint.
    • 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:
      When that metaphor proves untenable, he switches to insisting that women are like beer but that’s mainly as a pretext to drink until he passes out in a father-son bonding haze.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:pretext

Translations

Verb

pretext ‎(third-person singular simple present pretexts, present participle pretexting, simple past and past participle pretexted)

  1. To employ a pretext, which involves using a false or contrived purpose for soliciting the gain of something else.
    The spy obtained his phone records using possibly-illegal pretexting methods.

Synonyms

Translations

See also

Etymology

From French prétexte, from Latin praetextum ‎(“an ornament, etc., wrought in front, a pretense”), neuter of praetextus, past participle of praetexere ‎(“to weave before, fringe or border, allege”).

Pronunciation

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