preˈtenced, preˈtensed, ppl. a.
(-ˈɛnst)
[orig. pretensed, f. L. prætens-us (see pretense a.) + -ed1 2.]
1. Put forward in defence or excuse; alleged, asserted, professed, claimed, esp. falsely; feigned, counterfeit, spurious; = pretended 1, 2. arch.
| 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 273/1 Y⊇ pretensed ryght of my said Lord. 1461 Ibid. V. 467/2 Eny Acte made in the pretensed Parlement holden at the Citee of Coventre. 1535 in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 77 Vexede without cause or any pretenced occasion motioned of your saide oratours partie. 1591 G. Fletcher Russe Commw. (Hakl. Soc.) 35 Upon some pretensed crime objected against them. 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 225 Such as then had obtained pretenced licences and dispensations from the See of Rome. 1798 B. Washington Rep. I. 39 An act against buying pretensed titles. 1883 R. W. Dixon Mano i. iv. 11 Through the pretensed commission which they gave. |
† 2. Intended, purposed, designed. Obs.
| 1513 More Rich. III (1641) 2 He set forth openly his pretensed enterprise. c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 207 Thei beganne to goe forwarde with their pretenced jornie. 1543 Grafton Contn. Harding 469 His mischeuous imagened & pretenced enterprise. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. (1807–8) IV. 245 That wicked practise missed the pretensed effect. 1596 J. Smyth in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden) 92 That I had a pretensed intencion to stirre the soldyers to mutynye. |
† b. esp. in pretenced or pretensed malice, frequent in 15–16th c. for purpensed, prepensed malice (from similarity of sound and sense). Obs.
| 1483 Parl. Roll 1 Rich. III m. 9 (P.R.O.) Of thair pretenced malices and traitours entent. 1542 Becon Pathw. Prayer vii. D vij b, It came to passe accordynge to his pretensed malyce, that he slewe his brother. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 74/2 He resisted not the Gospell, nor fought against the trueth of God of a pretensed malice. |
† 3. Seriously intended (as opposed to feigned).
| 1547 Hooper Answ. Bp. Winchester's Bk. E iij, This reason and accompt of fayth yeuen, with a moost ernist, and pretensyd uowe to lyue for euer uerteusly. |
Hence preˈtencedly, preˈtensedly adv., with pretence, feignedly, pretendedly. rare.
| 1567 Drant Horace, Epist. xvi. E viij, In case thou walke pretensedly and thereby hope to gaine. 1607 Bp. Andrewes Serm. (1843) V. 191 Let the world be preached..be it sincerely, or be it pretensedly. 1885 R. W. Dixon Hist. Ch. Eng. xv. (1893) III. 40 The Parliament saw..their own statute of repeal traversed by these royal, or pretensedly royal edicts. |