From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpretextpre‧text /ˈpriːtekst/ noun [countable] REASONa false reason given for an action, in order to hide the real reasonpretext for The incident provided the pretext for war.on/under the pretext of doing something Tom called at her apartment on the pretext of asking for a book.on/under the pretext that He left immediately on the pretext that he had a train to catch. He’ll phone on some pretext or other.► see thesaurus at reason
Examples from the Corpus
pretext• Minor offences were sometimes used as a pretext for an arrest.• She couldn't find a pretext to visit Derek at home.• Every adverse employment decision is a pretext for litigation.• He can't recall the man's story but clearly it was a pretext for his accomplice to search the house.• His sore leg was a pretext. He just wanted a day off work.• The boy was simply a beggar: his bundle of newspapers was a pretext, and we called him the Newspaper Boy.• What bothers us more is the seeming predisposition of the federal courts to strike down term-limit laws on just about any pretext.• One pretext disposed of, McClellan found another.• He could of course simply walk out on some pretext - visiting a friend.• He used to spend hours at her house on the pretext of giving her Japanese lessons.• I lingered, on the pretext of finishing half a glass of champagne.• People were moving more slowly and nonchalantly, without the pretext of a destination or purpose.on some pretext• He could of course simply walk out on some pretext - visiting a friend.• He would have Christmas Day off and he would surely call at the vicarage on some pretext or other.Origin pretext (1500-1600) Latin praetextus, from praetexere “to weave in front, make an excuse” 