To act as if something is true when you know it isn't, or to play-act or make believe.
From Latin 'praetendere' (to stretch before/hold out), combining 'prae-' (before) and 'tendere' (to stretch), originally meaning to claim or put forward falsely.
Pretend originally meant literally stretching something out before people to make a false claim—now it means stretching the truth, showing how physical and mental deception share the same root.
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