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soning; argumentation. Of good and evil much they argued then, . . . Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy. Milton.

To act; to behave; to practice deception. His mother played false with a smith. Shak.

basis of reasoning; a proposition; a thesis; as, to define one's position; to appear in a false position. Let not the proof of any position depend on the positions that follow, but always on those which go before. I. Watts.

ance; representation; exhibition. Power to cheat the eye with blear illusion, And give it false presentment. Milton.

Founded on presumption; as, a presumptuous idea. "False, presumptuous hope." Milton.

it as a veil for something hidden. [R.] Lest that too heavenly form, pretended To hellish falsehood, snare them. Milton.

Making a false appearance; unreal; false; as, pretended friend. -- Pre*tend"ed*ly, adv.

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 Cæsar's death.…

A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship. This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. Bacon. Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions. L'Estrange.…

To frame; to devise; to disguise or excuse; hence, to pretend; to declare falsely. [Obs.]

To undertake a thing falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

rom liberty. The prisoned eagle dies for rage. Sir W. Scott. His true respect will prison false desire. Shak.

er insects. Those of Lepidoptera have a circle of hooks. Called also proped, propleg, and falseleg.

ee that. "In proportion as they are metaphysically true, they are morally and politically false." Burke.

e, trial, or result; to turn out to be; as, a medicine proves salutary; the report proves false. "The case proves mortal." Arbuthnot. So life a winter's morn may prove. Keble.

False or imaginary feeling or sense perception such as occurs in hypochondriasis, or such as is referred to an organ that has been removed, as an amputated foot.

A false embryo.

Inscribed with a false name. Cudworth.

The ascription of false names of authors to works.

A combining form or prefix signifying false, counterfeit, pretended, spurious; as, pseudo-apostle, a false apostle; pseudo- clergy, false or spurious clergy; pseudo-episcopacy, pseudo-form, pseudo-martyr, pseudo-philosopher. Also used adjectively.