pretext

something put forward to conceal a true purpose; an ostensible reason; excuse: The leaders used presumed threats as a pretext to declare war.; subterfuge; evasion

Not to be confused with:

pretense – pretending or feigning: a pretense of listening; a false show of something: his sympathy was only a pretense; an allegation or claim: get a loan under false pretenses; shamming; semblance; mask, veil

pre·text

(prē′tĕkst′)

A reason or excuse given to hide the real reason for something.

[Latin praetextum, from neuter past participle of praetexere, to disguise : prae-, pre- + texere, to weave; see teks- in Indo-European roots.]

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.

pretext

(ˈpriːtɛkst)

1. a fictitious reason given in order to conceal the real one

2. a specious excuse; pretence

[C16: from Latin praetextum disguise, from praetexere to weave in front, disguise; see texture]

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

pre•text

(ˈpri tɛkst)

n.

1. something put forward to conceal a true purpose or object; ostensible reason; excuse.

2. the misleading appearance or behavior assumed with this intention; subterfuge.

[1505–15; < Latin praetextum pretext, ornament, n. use of neuter past participle of praetexere to edge with, place in front, pretend. See pre-, texture]

pretext

- From Latin praetexere, "to disguise," from prae, "in front," and texere, "weave"—as something serving to conceal plans.

pretext

noun guise, excuse, veil, show, cover, appearance, device, mask, ploy, cloak, simulation, pretence, semblance, ruse, red herring, alleged reason They wanted a pretext to restart the war. He excused himself on the pretext of a stomach ache.

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

pretext

noun

1. A professed rather than a real reason:

pretense, pretension.

2. An explanation offered to justify an action or make it better understood:

excuse, plea.

3. A deceptive outward appearance:

cloak, color, coloring, cover, disguise, disguisement, façade, face, false colors, front, gloss, guise, mask, masquerade, pretense, semblance, show, veil, veneer, window-dressing.

Slang: put-on.

Translations

حُجَّةعُذْر كاذِب

výmluvazáminka

påskudundskyldning

Vorwand

αφορμή πρόσχημα πρόφαση

pretexto evasiva

tekosyy

prétexte

izgovor

ürügy

yfirvarp

pretesto scusa

口実

핑계

atrunaiegansts

výhovorka

förevändning

ข้ออ้าง

bahane

cớ

借口托辞

pretext

[ˈpriːtekst] N → pretexto m, excusa f
it's just a pretext → no es más que un pretexto or una excusa
on or under the pretext of doing sth → so pretexto or con la excusa de hacer algo

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

pretext

[ˈpriːtɛkst] n → prétexte m
a pretext for doing sth → un prétexte pour faire qch
a pretext to do sth → un prétexte pour faire qch
on the pretext of sth → prétextant qch
He excused himself on the pretext of a stomach upset → Il s'est excusé, prétextant un mal d'estomac.
on the pretext of doing sth → sous prétexte de faire qch
under the pretext of doing sth → sous prétexte de faire qch
under the pretext of sth → sous prétexte de qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pretext

n → Vorwand m; on or under the pretext of doing something → unter dem Vorwand, etw zu tun

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

pretext

[ˈpriːtɛkst] n → pretesto
on or under the pretext of doing sth → col pretesto di fare qc

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

pretext

(ˈpriːtekst) noun

a reason given in order to hide the real reason; an excuse.

pretext

→ حُجَّة záminka påskud Vorwand πρόφαση pretexto tekosyy prétexte izgovor pretesto 口実 핑계 voorwendsel påskudd pretekst pretexto предлог förevändning ข้ออ้าง bahane cớ 借口

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Athos remained a Musketeer under the command of D'Artagnan till the year 1633, at which period, after a journey he made to Touraine, he also quit the service, under the pretext of having inherited a small property in Roussillon.

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Moreover, it has reached me, through a side wind, that she has been making inquiry for me, and dogging my footsteps, under the pretext that she wishes to pardon me, to forget the past, and to renew our acquaintance.

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At last the Emperor left the army, and as the most convenient and indeed the only pretext for his departure it was decided that it was necessary for him to inspire the people in the capitals and arouse the nation in general to a patriotic war.

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- Come, my lads, you must look sharp: I'm come to help you now:- and woe be to that man, or woman either, that pauses for a moment amongst you - whether to stare about him, to scratch his head, or blow his nose - no pretext will serve - nothing but work, work, work in the sweat of your face,' &c., &c.

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Men discover themselves in trust, in passion, at unawares, and of necessity, when they would have somewhat done, and cannot find an apt pretext. If you would work any man, you must either know his nature and fashions, and so lead him; or his ends, and so persuade him; or his weakness and disadvantages, and so awe him; or those that have interest in him, and so govern him.

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He soon appeared before the city with a corps of ten thousand troops, and finding it a fit occasion, as he had secretly intended from the beginning, to revive an antiquated claim, on the pretext that his ancestors had suffered the place to be dismembered from his territory,[1] he took possession of it in his own name, disarmed, and punished the inhabitants, and reannexed the city to his domains.

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He took advantage of the pretext of securing the horse to draw near them, and dismounting, walked between the two horses he led; he did not lose a single word or gesture of the lovers.

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At the Hague his pretext was that he wanted to see you."

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It gave her the promise and pretext to keep the children indefinitely.

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Hindbad was not a little surprised at this summons, and feared that his unguarded words might have drawn upon him the displeasure of Sindbad, so he tried to excuse himself upon the pretext that he could not leave the burden which had been entrusted to him in the street.

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Many-sidedness was almost essential as a pretext for the Innovators.

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The mysterious habits of Phileas Fogg were recalled; his solitary ways, his sudden departure; and it seemed clear that, in undertaking a tour round the world on the pretext of a wager, he had had no other end in view than to elude the detectives, and throw them off his track.

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Noun	1.	pretext - something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason stalking-horse dissembling, feigning, pretense, pretence - pretending with intention to deceive putoff - a pretext for delay or inaction
	2.	pretext - an artful or simulated semblance; "under the guise of friendship he betrayed them" guise, pretence, pretense semblance, gloss, color, colour - an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading; "he hoped his claims would have a semblance of authenticity"; "he tried to give his falsehood the gloss of moral sanction"; "the situation soon took on a different color"