[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

pretext \pre"text\ ?; 277, n. f. pr'etexte, l. praetextum,
   fr. praetextus, p. p. of praetexere to weave before, allege
   as an excuse; prae before + texere to weave. see text.
   ostensible reason or motive assigned or assumed as a color or
   cover for the real reason or motive; pretense; disguise.
   1913 webster

         they suck the blood of those they depend on, under a
         pretext of service and kindness.         --l'estrange.
   1913 webster

         with how much or how little pretext of reason. --dr. h.
                                                  more.
   1913 webster

   syn: pretense; excuse; semblance; disguise; appearance. see
        pretense.
        1913 webster
see also:
text pretense 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

pretext
     n 1: something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that
          is concocted in order to conceal the real reason syn: stalking-horse
     2: an artful or simulated semblance; "under the guise of
        friendship he betrayed them" syn: guise, pretense, pretence
see also:
stalking-horse guise pretense pretence 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

94 moby thesaurus words for "pretext":
   acting, affectation, alibi, allege, alternative, appearance,
   attitudinizing, avow, bluff, bluffing, camouflage, cheating,
   choice, claim, cloak, color, coloring, cover, cover story,
   deception, delusion, disguise, dissemblance, dissembling,
   dissimulation, escape clause, escape hatch, excuse, explanation,
   facade, face, fakery, faking, false air, false front, false show,
   falsity, feigning, feint, four-flushing, fraud, front, gilt, gloss,
   guise, humbug, humbuggery, imposture, loophole, masquerade,
   meretriciousness, ostentation, outward show, playacting, plea,
   pose, posing, posture, pretend, pretense, pretension, profess,
   protest too much, purport, rational ground, rationale,
   rationalization, reason, reason for, reason why, red herring,
   representation, right, ruse, saving clause, seeming, semblance,
   sham, show, simulacrum, simulation, speciousness, stated cause,
   the big idea, the idea, the whatfor, the wherefore, the why,
   underlying reason, varnish, veil, way of escape, way out,
   window dressing

[4] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

pretext. the reasons assigned to justify an act, which have only the 
appearance of truth, and which are without foundation; or which if true are 
not the true reasons for such act. vattel, liv. 3, c. 3, 32. 

Pretext >> P Words
Pretext, definition of term: Pretext
pretext_pag1.html

PRE/TEXT: Electra(Lite) Publishing Network
... ..
http://www.utdallas.edu/pretext/, score=100, date indexed=December 29, 2005, 7:30 pm

Pretext Services, Inc. - Investigative Services
...Pretext was founded in 1997 by CEO Gary J. McDaniel to provide ... PRETEXT SERVICES, INC. offers a complete investigative and ... ..
http://www.pretextpi.com/, score=90, date indexed=December 30, 2005, 12:54 pm

Operation Detect Pretext
...In addition to the notice, as part of "Operation Detect Pretext," the ... FTC Kicks off "Operation Detect Pretext" Warns Firms to Comply with ... ..
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/01/pretexting.htm, score=63, date indexed=December 21, 2005, 3:10 am

USATODAY.com - Bush wrong to use pretext as excuse to invade Iraq
...One of the most outrageous uses of pretext took place during the ... An incident that never took place became the pretext for expanding a ... ..
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/2002-08-29-usat-opin-bamford_x.htm, score=62, date indexed=January 30, 2006, 6:00 pm

Dictionary.com/pretext
...pretext. pretext: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary. Source: ... pretext. n 1: something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason ... ..
http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=pretext, score=58, date indexed=December 4, 2005, 2:57 pm

Pretext home - Volume 7 - latest issue
...... extracts window which allows you to browse all online Pretext content. ... Pretext 7 presents exclusive new work from writers with something to ... ..
http://www.uea.ac.uk/~p230/bks/pretext.htm, score=54, date indexed=November 4, 2005, 3:43 pm

Dictionary.com/pretext
...pretext. pretext: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary. Source: ... pretext. n 1: something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason ... ..
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pretext, score=52, date indexed=November 13, 2005, 4:25 am

Definition of pretext - Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
...pretext. One entry found for pretext.. Main Entry: pre·text ... Etymology: Latin praetextus, from praetexere to assign as a pretext, ... ..
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=pretext, score=50, date indexed=January 4, 2006, 11:21 pm

PRE/TEXT Publishing WebWork
...... PRETEXT: Electra(Lite) pre/text electralite pretext electralite ... PRE/TEXT, the journal (since 1980). PRETEXT, the discussion list ( ... ..
http://www.pre-text.com/, score=50, date indexed=December 30, 2005, 3:00 am

Page 1 2 Next