Noah Webster's Dictionary 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.

Multi-Version Concordance Pretence (5 Occurrences) Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (KJV WEY DBY) Mark 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. (KJV ASV) Luke 20:47 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation. (ASV YLT) Acts 27:30 And the sailors seeking to flee out of the ship, and having let down the boat to the sea, in pretence as 'if' out of the foreship they are about to cast anchors, (YLT) Philippians 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. (KJV ASV YLT)