pretension: Meaning and Definition of
pre•ten•sion
Pronunciation: (pri-ten'shun), [key]
— n.
- the laying of a claim to something.
- a claim or title to something.
- Often,a claim made, esp. indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit, or the like: They laughed at my pretensions to superior judgment.
- a claim to dignity, importance, or merit.
- pretentiousness.
- the act of pretending or alleging.
- an allegation of doubtful veracity.
- a pretext.
pre•ten•sion
Pronunciation: (prē-ten'shun), [key]
— v.t.
- (in prestressed-concrete construction) to apply tension to (reinforcing strands) before the concrete is poured. Cf.(def. 1).
- to make (a concrete member) with pretensioned reinforcement.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.