An excuse, ostensible reason or motive, professed purpose.
Pretext comes through the Latin praetextum, an ornament, from the verb
praetexere, to pretend, literally “to weave in front.” By derivation a pretext is
a front, a faade, something used for cover. As the Century Dictionary
(1914) puts it, a pretext is “that which is assumed as a cloak or means of
concealment; something under cover of which a true purpose is hidden.”
Tyrannical leaders often invent pretexts for invading or declaring war on
other countries. Irresponsible employees will invent pretexts for not coming
to work. A supervisor who hates an employee's guts may try to come up
with a pretext for firing the person. A pretext is an excuse, an ostensible
reason designed to hide the real reason.
王二狗Mark
An excuse, ostensible reason or motive, professed purpose. Pretext comes through the Latin praetextum, an ornament, from the verb praetexere, to pretend, literally “to weave in front.” By derivation a pretext is a front, a faade, something used for cover. As the Century Dictionary (1914) puts it, a pretext is “that which is assumed as a cloak or means of concealment; something under cover of which a true purpose is hidden.”
王二狗Mark
Tyrannical leaders often invent pretexts for invading or declaring war on other countries. Irresponsible employees will invent pretexts for not coming to work. A supervisor who hates an employee's guts may try to come up with a pretext for firing the person. A pretext is an excuse, an ostensible reason designed to hide the real reason.