pretend

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++ldoce_740_zpre·tend1 /prɪˈtend/ ●●● S2 W3 verb  1  [intransitive, transitive]PRETEND to behave as if something is true when in fact you know it is not, in order to deceive people or for fun 假装，装作pretend (that) We can’t go on pretending that everything is OK. 我们不能继续佯装一切都没问题。 Let’s pretend we’re on the Moon. 我们假装自己是在月球上吧。pretend to do something She pretended not to notice. 她假装没有注意到。 He’s not asleep – he’s just pretending. 他并没睡着，不过是装睡而已。 To pretend ignorance of the situation would be irresponsible. 装作不知情是不负责任的做法。 I can’t marry her and to pretend otherwise would be wrong. 我不可以娶她，装作娶她无妨是不对的。2  [transitive usually in negatives]PRETEND to claim that something is true, when it is not 声称〔不真实的事为真实〕pretend (that) I can’t pretend I understand these technical terms (=I admit I do not understand them). 我不能妄称懂得这些专业术语。pretend to do/be something The book doesn’t pretend to be for beginners. 这本书没说是给初学者看的。 THESAURUSpretend /prɪˈtend/ to deliberately behave as though something is true when it is not, either for fun or to deceive someone 〔为取乐或骗人〕假装,假扮Mark closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. 马克闭上眼睛假装睡着。She shouted but he pretended that he hadn’t heard her. 她大声叫喊,但他假装没听见。nact to behave in a particular way – often used when saying that someone is pretending that something is true, when it is notPaul acted as if nothing was wrong.She always acts like she’s pleased to see me, but I’m sure she’s not. He enjoyed acting the fool (=pretending to be stupid) and couldn’t care less about his studies.The boy acted all innocent and said that he knew nothing about the money. I tried to act the good housewife when I got married.make out something informal to pretend that something is true, in order to avoid doing something or to deceive someone 〔为避免做某事或骗人〕假装,假称I didn’t want to go, so I made out I was busy. 我不想去,所以就装作很忙的样子。She always makes out that she doesn’t have any money. 她老是假装身无分文。be putting it on informal to be pretending to be ill, hurt etc, especially in order to avoid doing something, or to make other people feel sympathy for you 〔尤为避免做某事或博取他人同情〕假装〔生病、疼痛等〕She’s not really upset, she’s just putting it on. 她并非真的不开心,只是装样子而已。feign interest/surprise/ignorance/illness etc formal to pretend that you are interested, surprised etc 装成有兴趣/吃惊/无知/生病等‘Oh really!’ he said, trying to feign interest. “哦,真的吗？”他努力假装感兴趣地说。Sometimes it’s best just to feign ignorance (=pretend that you do not know). 有时候最好是装不懂。keep up appearances to pretend that your life is happy and successful, especially when you have suffered some kind of trouble or loss 〔尤在遭遇困难或损失时〕装门面,撑场面Although we were poor, our family always tried to keep up appearances. 我们家虽穷,但总是想要装门面。She did her best to keep up appearances after her husband left her. 她丈夫弃她而去后她拼命撑着面子不说。nto pretend to be someone or somethingimpersonate to copy the way that a famous person speaks and behaves, in order to entertain people, or to pretend to have an official job, in order to trick peopleHe’s brilliant at impersonating the president.It’s illegal to impersonate a police officer.pose as somebody to pretend to be someone else, especially someone in an official position, so that it is easier for you to do something bad or illegalHe posed as a doctor to gain access to the hospital.There have been cases of thieves posing as telephone engineers.masquerade as somebody/something disapproving to pretend to be someone or something else – used especially when saying that someone or something is not who they claim to beTheir advertisements are always full of people in white coats masquerading as scientists.It’s not real news – it’s government propaganda masquerading as news.5 FREQUENCY 使用频率

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Examples from the Corpus

pretend• I don't think he's asleep - I think he's just pretending.• We thought that he was really hurt, but he was just pretending.• I am so relieved to not be pretending anymore.• I like to drive around in my brother's BMW and pretend I'm a rich businessman.• We were nervous and pretended not to be, and seeing her rig made us look at each other, nodding.• All his waking life he pretended not to hear other voices.• I pretended not to see her, and carried on walking down the street.• And they had not come, or they had sat across from him and pretended that every-thing was fine.• Bill closed his eyes, and pretended that the war was over and that he was safe at home.• They got into the house by pretending they worked for the electricity company.• Jill is on my lap, pretending to be a baby.• He burst into the room with a toy gun in his hand, pretending to be a gangster.• She pretended to be ill and took a day off work• We pretended to be students and got into the club for free.• But she was not the same as them, she could not pretend to be.• Then the researchers just pretended to increase the lighting.pretend otherwise• But if you are well known, it seems foolish to pretend otherwise.• Eleanor was wrong to try and pretend otherwise.• I knew at once that something was different, why pretend otherwise?• It makes people feel better to pretend otherwise.• Nevertheless they were two real victories, and it is childish of Bush's opponents to pretend otherwise.• The introduction of council tax is going to hurt an awful lot of people and there is no point in pretending otherwise.• Though she'd never been much of a nurse and it was hypocritical to pretend otherwise.• Though he found it convenient to pretend otherwise, the man was no hick care-taker.pretend to do/be something• One pilot pretended to be Amelia Earhart while another pretended to be Charles Lindbergh.• For him she was a guilty woman pretending to be an innocent one.• I filled in the rest of that day by pretending to be busy with the audit.• You are, or pretend to be, indifferent to whatever may happen to your reputation.• Ralph pretended to be scared until Mona grew bored.• Stop pretending to be so heartless.• It's plump actors pretending to be working class, when their fathers are neuro-surgeons.pretend2 adjective  IMAGINEimaginary or not real – used especially by children 假装的，想象的，假想的〔尤为儿语〕 We sang songs around a pretend campfire. 我们围在假想的营火旁唱歌。

Examples from the Corpus

pretend• We're building a pretend rocket to the moon.Origin pretend1 (1300-1400) Latin praetendere “to stretch out in front, make an excuse”, from tendere “to stretch”

pre·tend1 verb →THESAURUS1 →5 FREQUENCY1pretend2 adjectiveLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

when something is true Corpus behave if as to

pretend

I

pre‧tend¹ S2 W3 /prɪˈtend/ verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to behave as if something is true when in fact you know it is not, in order to deceive people or for fun
    pretend (that)
    We can’t go on pretending that everything is OK.
    Let’s pretend we’re on the moon.
    pretend to do something
    She pretended not to notice.
    He’s not asleep – he’s just pretending.
    To pretend ignorance of the situation would be irresponsible.
    I can’t marry her and to pretend otherwise would be wrong.
2. [transitive usually in negatives] to claim that something is true, when it is not
    pretend (that)
    I can’t pretend I understand these technical terms (=I admit I do not understand them).
    pretend to do/be something
    The book doesn’t pretend to be for beginners.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ pretend /prɪˈtend/ to deliberately behave as though something is true when it is not, either for fun or to deceive someone: Mark closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. | She shouted but he pretended that he hadn’t heard her.
   ▪ act to behave in a particular way – often used when saying that someone is pretending that something is true, when it is not: Paul acted as if nothing was wrong. | She always acts like she’s pleased to see me, but I’m sure she’s not. | He enjoyed acting the fool (=pretending to be stupid) and couldn’t care less about his studies. | The boy acted all innocent and said that he knew nothing about the money. | I tried to act the good housewife when I got married.
   ▪ make out something informal to pretend that something is true, in order to avoid doing something or to deceive someone: I didn’t want to go, so I made out I was busy. | She always makes out that she doesn’t have any money.
   ▪ be putting it on informal to be pretending to be ill, hurt etc, especially in order to avoid doing something, or to make other people feel sympathy for you: She’s not really upset, she’s just putting it on.
   ▪ feign interest/surprise/ignorance/illness etc formal to pretend that you are interested, surprised etc: ‘Oh really!’ he said, trying to feign interest. | Sometimes it’s best just to feign ignorance (=pretend that you do not know).
   ▪ keep up appearances to pretend that your life is happy and successful, especially when you have suffered some kind of trouble or loss: Although we were poor, our family always tried to keep up appearances. | She did her best to keep up appearances after her husband left her.
■ to pretend to be someone or something
   ▪ impersonate to copy the way that a famous person speaks and behaves, in order to entertain people, or to pretend to have an official job, in order to trick people: He’s brilliant at impersonating the President. | It’s illegal to impersonate a police officer.
   ▪ pose as somebody to pretend to be someone else, especially someone in an official position, so that it is easier for you to do something bad or illegal: He posed as a doctor to gain access to the hospital. | There have been cases of thieves posing as telephone engineers.
   ▪ masquerade as somebody/something disapproving to pretend to be someone or something else – used especially when saying that someone or something is not who they claim to be: Their advertisements are always full of people in white coats masquerading as scientists. | It’s not real news – it’s government propaganda masquerading as news.

II

pretend² adjective
imaginary or not real – used especially by children:
    We sang songs around a pretend campfire.