3 uses
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Definition
acting more impressive than is deserved
- But at last it was the turn of the good old-fashioned dance which has the least of vanity and the most of merriment in it, and Maggie quite forgot her troublous life in a childlike enjoyment of that half-rustic rhythm which seems to banish pretentious etiquette.6.10 -- Book 6 Chapter 10 -- The Spell Seems Broken (14% in)
- She had not had many advantages, poor thing! and it must be admitted there was no pretension about her; her abruptness and unevenness of manner were plainly the result of her secluded and lowly circumstances.6.6 -- Book 6 Chapter 6 -- Illustrating the Laws of Attraction (9% in)
- The Miss Guests were much too well-bred to have any of the grimaces and affected tones that belong to pretentious vulgarity; but their stall being next to the one where Maggie sat, it seemed newly obvious to-day that Miss Guest held her chin too high, and that Miss Laura spoke and moved continually with a view to effect.6.9 -- Book 6 Chapter 9 -- Charity in Full-Dress (3% in)
There are no more uses of "pretentious" in The Mill on the Floss.
Typical Usage
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