The Only Use of
pretense
in
Macbeth
- Fears and scruples shake us:
In the great hand of God I stand; and thence,
Against the undivulged pretense I fight
Of treasonous malice.p. 71.7pretense = deceptioneditor's notes: This could be paraphrased as: "I stand under God's protection, and from there fight against this hidden conspiracy of evil betrayal."
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.