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pretence

noun [U] (US usually pretense)
 
 
/prɪˈtens/

Definition

a way of behaving that is intended to deceive people: She made absolutely no pretence of being interested. They kept up (= continued) a pretence of normality as long as they could. The army has given up any pretence of neutrality in the war.Faking and pretending
(Definition of pretence noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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