Noah Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language

1. (a.) Alt. of Pretenceless.

2. (n.) The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension.

3. (n.) The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging Caesar's death.

4. (n.) That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.

5. (n.) Intention; design.