different between overcome vs pretend
overcome
English
Etymology
From Middle English overcomen, from Old English ofercuman (“to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake”), corresponding to over- +? come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen (“to overcome”), German überkommen (“to overcome”), Danish overkomme (“to overcome”), Swedish överkomma (“to overcome”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /???v??k?m/
- (US) IPA(key): /?o?v???k?m/
Verb
overcome (third-person singular simple present overcomes, present participle overcoming, simple past overcame, past participle overcome)
- (transitive) To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.
- to overcome enemies in battle
- 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, Ch. 4:
- By and by fumes of brandy began to fill the air, and climb to where I lay, overcoming the mouldy smell of decayed wood and the dampness of the green walls.
- (transitive) To win or prevail in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
- To come or pass over; to spread over.
- To overflow; to surcharge.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of J. Philips to this entry?)
Translations
Noun
overcome (plural overcomes)
- (Scotland) The burden or recurring theme in a song.
- (Scotland) A surplus.
References
- overcome in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- overcome in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
Anagrams
- come over, come-over, comeover
overcome From the web:
- what overcome means
- what overcomes fear
- what overcomes inertia
- what overcomes gravity
- what overcomes time separation
- what overcomes evil
- what overcomes water in five elements
- what's overcomer movie about
pretend
English
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman pretendre, Middle French pretendre (French prétendre (“to claim, demand”)), from Latin praetendere, present active infinitive of praetend? (“put forward, hold out, pretend”), from prae- (“pre-”) + tend? (“stretch”); see tend.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /p???t?nd/
- Rhymes: -?nd
- Hyphenation: pre?tend
Verb
pretend (third-person singular simple present pretends, present participle pretending, simple past and past participle pretended)
- To claim, to allege, especially when falsely or as a form of deliberate deception. [from 14th c.]
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII.23:
- "After what past at Upton, so soon to engage in a new amour with another woman, while I fancied, and you pretended, your heart was bleeding for me!"
- 2009 April 13, “Vanity publishing”, in The Economist:
- I have nothing but contempt for people who hire ghost-writers. But at least most faux authors have the decency to pretend that they are sweating blood over "their" book.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, XVIII.23:
- To feign, affect (a state, quality, etc.). [from 15th c.]
- 2007 October 29, The Guardian, London:
- Gap and other clothes manufacturers should stop using small subcontractors because they are difficult to control. Instead, they should open up their own fully-owned production facilities so that they cannot pretend ignorance when abuses are committed.
- 2007 October 29, The Guardian, London:
- To lay claim to (an ability, status, advantage, etc.). [from 15th c.] (originally used without to)
- 1682, John Dryden, The Medal
- Chiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend.
- 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.25:
- People observed the diversity of schools and the acerbity of their disputes, and decided that all alike were pretending to knowledge which was in fact unattainable.
- 1682, John Dryden, The Medal
- To make oneself appear to do or be doing something; to engage in make-believe.
- 2003 January 23, Duncan Campbell, The Guardian, London:
- Luster claimed that the women had consented to sex and were only pretending to be asleep.
- 2003 January 23, Duncan Campbell, The Guardian, London:
- (transitive, obsolete) To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden.
- (transitive, obsolete) To intend; to design, to plot; to attempt.
- (transitive, obsolete) To hold before one; to extend.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.11:
- Pastorella […] Was by the Captaine all this while defended, / Who, minding more her safety then himselfe, / His target alwayes over her pretended […].
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, VI.11:
Usage notes
This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs
Related terms
- pretender
- pretense
- pretension
- pretentious
- pretentiousness
Translations
Further reading
- pretend in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- pretend in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
Adjective
pretend (not comparable)
- Not really what it is represented as being; imaginary, feigned.
- As children we used to go on "spying" missions around the neighbour's house, but it was all pretend.
Translations
pretend From the web:
- what pretending to be crazy looks like
- what pretending to be crazy looks like reddit
- what pretending to be crazy looks like reaction
- what pretend means
- what pretending to be crazy looks like shooter
- what pretending to be crazy looks like guy
- what pretend games to play
- what pretending looks like
you may also like
- overcome vs pretend
- overlooking vs omission
- shocked vs tremulous
- fervid vs diligent
- admire vs treasure
- timid vs stunned
- decided vs express
- recount vs deny
- scrupulous vs itemised
- augustness vs importance
- vaunt vs talk
- entertaining vs consuming
- teach vs jabber
- harmful vs substandard
- perpetually vs interminably
- bright vs spellbinding
- neat vs tasty
- order vs clew
- flow vs slouch
- onerous vs grievous