presumptive /pri'ZAmptiv/ adj. [usually before noun]

(formal or technical 7ft if}-) likely to be true, based on the facts that are available nj tB 65 ; AM 65 ; #£ $r 65 — see also heir presumptive pre-sump-tu-ous /pri'ZAmptJuas/ adj. [not usually before noun] too confident, in a way that shows a lack of respect for other people g ft 65; 1 65; $£#65

pre-sup-pose /.priisa'pauz; NAmE -'pouz/ verb {format) 1 [VN] to accept sth as true or existing and act on that basis, before it has been proved to be true ££ HiA A; IfxiS: 003presume: Teachers sometimes presuppose a fairly high level of knowledge by the students. He W N" f^fix£#;A65ftHK7jC.A*B^i^o 2 to depend on sth in order to exist or be true \lt ■ ■ ■ A BU $1; $c • M/iL assume _: [V that] His argument presupposes that it does not matter who is in power. fife 65 It Jlift [also VN]

pre-sup-pos-ition /.priisApa'ziJn/ noun [C, U] {formal) something that you believe to be true and use as the beginning of an argument even though it has not been proved; the act of believing it is true fix 65 ^ 'If; fix te; MiS: 033 assumption _: theories based on presupposition and coincidence SSAfiH&lflfll ,pre-'tax adj. [only before noun] before the tax has been taken away A In 65; pre-tax profits/losses/

income / &A

,pre-'teach verb [VN] to teach sth, especially new words, to students before a test or exercise >) ) Rif

HcS ( §Hs!^ ) t

,pre-'teen noun a young person of about 11 or 12 years

of age (J5 U & 12^65 ) AJL*, t(£*A65

JLjI ► ,pre- teen adj. [usually before noun]: the pre-teen years -f^*A65/lA

pre-tence (BrE) {NAmE pre-tense) /pri'tens/ noun 1 [U, sing] - (of sth/of doing sth) | ~ (that ... ) the act of behaving in a particular way, in order to make other people believe sth that is not true fixl£; 0$i65

: Their friendliness was only pretence, fifefil 65 A # iSlkK A 65 o o By the end of the evening she

had abandoned all pretence of being interested. 3\

%.tt, o He made no

pretence of great musical knowledge. iR A s o 0 She was unable to keep up the pretence that she loved him. MK'&mmnmMifcT o 2 [U, C, usually sing.] ~ (to sth/to doing sth) (formal or literary) a claim that you have a particular quality or skill 35^; g ;

a woman with some pretence to beauty giDIf/l Aft A" A O I make no pretence to being an expert on the subject. IfcAtfc g ill A&Affi65 AlA ESI see

FALSE

pre-tend <Hr/pri'tend/ verb, adj.

• verb 1 ~ (to sb) (that ...) to behave in a particular way,

in order to make other people believe sth that is not true fix : [V] I’m tired of having to pretend all

the time. |iUiRA;f#3lfixo 0 Of course I was wrong; it would be hypocritical to pretend otherwise. A Millie If 7; MJElEffiiffiJikMfflTo o [V (that)] He pretended to his family that everything was fine.

iff ₀ 0 We pretended (that) nothing had happened,

0 [V to inf] He pretended not to notice. fifefix^SftfAIL o She didn’t love him, though she pretended to. MMM3l*;t65#Ao 0 [VN]

(format) She pretended an interest she did not feel, ftffi it 2 (especially of children Alfa JL^) to imagine that sth is true as part of a game ( A )

[V (that)] Let’s pretend (that) we’re astronauts. fi] 31 fA fA A $A ^BE ₀ 0 M They didn’t have

any real money so they had to pretend. ifc flB fix 65 ft ₀ 3 ~ (to sth) (usually used in negative

sentences and questions M # 7 7? ae- Al fR M Isl ^/dJ) to

claim to be, do or have sth, especially when this is not true g iH ; g %; g it A : [V] J can’t pretend to any

great musical talent. g 0 [V

(that)] I don’t pretend (that) I know much about the subject, but... ItAtfci&gfM - O [V to inf] The book doesn’t pretend to be a great work of literature. Ag#A:£#&#₀

adj. [usually before noun] (informal) (often used by

1567 pretty

children #A AH IB if) not real, imaginary fix ^65; £S % 65: pretend cakes fixity

pre-tend er /pri’tenda(r)/ noun ~ (to sth) a person who claims they have a right to a particular title even though other people disagree with them ( ^#65 ) §1 f A#

pre-tense (NAmE) = pretence

pre-ten-sion /pri’tenjn/ noun [C, usually pi., U] 1 the act of trying to appear more important, intelligent, etc. than you are in order to impress other people 01$;

0 ^: intellectual pretensions 31A A fttiR o The play mocks the pretensions of the new middle class. j$iKl M 7 Ilf 4* A Rfr £165» o He spoke without pretension. f&WiSSLi#, A^+Bo 2 ~ (to sth/to doing sth) ] ~ (to do sth) a claim to be or to do sth g H: a building with no pretensions to architectural merit 0 The movie makes no

pretension to reproduce life.

pre ten tious /pri’tenjas/ adj. (disapproving) trying to appear important, intelligent, etc. in order to impress other people; trying to be sth that you are not, in order to impress feM 65 ; ^^65; g A A 65 : That’s a pretentious name for a dog! ^^65! 0 It

was just an ordinary house—nothing pretentious. -^J®]M65^A, o He’s so pretentious!

HffeSPHU g^AIL65#JL! —compare unpretentious ► pre-ten-tious-ly adv. pre-ten-tious-ness noun [U]

the pret-er-ite (NAmE also pret-erit) /'pretarat/ noun [sing.] (grammar ig^) a form of a verb that expresses the pastil A Bl; MAA

pre ter nat ural /.priita'naetjral; NAmE -tar’n-/ adj. [only before noun] (format) that does not seem natural; that cannot be explained by natural laws A#If 65; IS g M 65; 2tHfiS#65 ► pre-ter-nat-ur-al-ly adv._: The city was pretematurally quiet. il®Mr]?##65A#o

pre-test /'prirtest/ noun a test that you take to find out how much you already know or can do before learning or doing sth ( ^3j»£M65 ) SAW ► pre-test verb [VN]

pre-text /'priitekst/ noun ~ (for sth/for doing sth) | ~ (to do sth) a false reason that you give for doing sth, usually sth bad, in order to hide the real reason; an excuse ff P ; ft is]: The incident was used as a pretext for intervention in the area. ilA ¥ f4i£ T A IP A ife Di 65 If P c o He left the party early on the pretext of having work to do. fiilff P

• note at reason

pret tify /'pritifai/ verb (pret ti fies, pret ti-fy-ing, pret-ti- fied, pret-ti-fied) [VN] (usually disapproving) to try to make sth pretty, often with the result that it looks worse or false V

pretty /'priti/ adv., adj.

• adv. (with adjectives and adverbs A'fi^isJIfll'J tSlRE^I)

• to some extent; fairly 0; Rj: Tm pretty sure I’ll be

going, ffc ^ M & A 65 „ 0 The game was pretty good. iA7 B ft IB ^ A It o 0 It’s pretty hard to explain. & ^ fll iiS'/f lo 0 I’m going to have to find a new apartment pretty soon. c> note at

quite 2 very IE#; Wt\ fS: That performance was pretty impressive. ^ A ik fS f±J ₀ O Things are

looking pretty good! A ^ ^ A fM A If ! HI pretty much/' well (BrE also pretty nearly) (NAmE also pretty 'near) (informal) almost; almost completely /lA; HA

One dog looks pretty much like another to me.

#A, #H£#$HA£o —more at sit

• adj. (pret tier, pret-ti-est) 1 (especially of a woman, or a

girl attractive without being very beau

tiful if #£65; ^Bc65; &f®65; ^5A65: a pretty face {ft BB65J& 0 a pretty little girl j£fi365AMM o You look so pretty in that dress! ! o note at

beautiful 2 (of places or things attractive

and pleasant to look at or to listen to without being large, beautiful or impressive # >0 i&0 65; ^5 Rff 65; H Iffi65 ; ft65 : pretty clothes '^^-65 AIM o a pretty garden # g 65 & M o a pretty name f£H 65 & 7