Often, pretensions.a claim made, esp. indirectly or by implication, to some quality, merit, or the like: They laughed at my pretensions to superior judgment.
the advancing of a claim; "his pretension to the crown"; "the town still puts forward pretensions as a famous resort"
3.
the quality of being pretentious (behaving or speaking in such a manner as to create a false appearance of great importance or worth) [syn: pretentiousness] [ant: unpretentiousness]
Pre*ten"sion\, n. [Cf. F. pr['e]tention. See Pretend, Tension.]1. The act of pretending, or laying claim; the act of asserting right or title. The arrogant pretensions of Glengarry contributed to protract the discussion. --Macaulay. 2. A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship. This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. --Bacon. Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions. --L'Estrange.