pretension: Meaning and Definition of

pre•ten•sion

Pronunciation: (pri-ten'shun), [key]
— n.
  1. the laying of a claim to something.
  2. a claim or title to something.
  3. Often,a claim made, esp. indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit, or the like: They laughed at my pretensions to superior judgment.
  4. a claim to dignity, importance, or merit.
  5. pretentiousness.
  6. the act of pretending or alleging.
  7. an allegation of doubtful veracity.
  8. a pretext.

pre•ten•sion

Pronunciation: (prē-ten'shun), [key]
— v.t.
  1. (in prestressed-concrete construction) to apply tension to (reinforcing strands) before the concrete is poured. Cf.(def. 1).
  2. to make (a concrete member) with pretensioned reinforcement.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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