From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmake as if to do somethingmake as if to do somethingliteraryPRETEND to seem as if you are going to do something but then not do it She made as if to speak but then stopped. → make
Examples from the Corpus
make as if to do something• Then he made as if to resume their embrace, but Polly raised a hand to stop him.• Hardin made as if to rise from his seat. 