The Only Use of
pretense
in
The Great Gatsby
- He might have despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses.†
p. 149.4false pretenses = false appearances or actions to help one pretend
Definition:
a false appearance or action to help one pretend
This is sometimes seen in the expression "false pretense" or "false pretenses" which is just emphasizing that behavior or actions do not reflect the true situation.