n.借口；虚假；伪装；自吹；炫耀
=pretence.
It is merely a pretense. 这只是托词而已。
You answered me with no pretense. 你坦诚相见的回答了我。
Pretense invariably impresses only the pretender. 弄虚作假欺骗不了真正的行家。
The pretense of greatness will be the proof of it, and powerful men with many severe faults will rule over all the classes on earth. 自称为伟大的会是拥有很多错误的有权势的人，他们支配着地上的所有阶级。
