Feign

Feign
Feign Feign, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Feigned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Feigning}.] [OE. feinen, F. feindre (p. pr. feignant), fr. L. fingere; akin to L. figura figure,and E. dough. See {Dough}, and cf. {Figure}, {Faint}, {Effigy}, {Fiction}.] 1. To give a mental existence to, as to something not real or actual; to imagine; to invent; hence, to pretend; to form and relate as if true. [1913 Webster]

There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. --Neh. vi. 8. [1913 Webster]

The poet Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To represent by a false appearance of; to pretend; to counterfeit; as, to feign a sickness. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. To dissemble; to conceal. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • feign´er — feign «fayn», transitive verb. 1. to put on a false appearance of; make believe; pretend: »Some animals feign death when in danger. SYNONYM(S): assume, affect, simulate, sham. 2. to make up to deceive; invent falsely: »to feign an excuse …   Useful english dictionary

  • feign — c.1300, from O.Fr. feign , prp. stem of feindre pretend, represent, imitate, shirk (12c.), from L. fingere to touch, handle; devise; fabricate, alter, change (see FICTION (Cf. fiction)). Related: Feigned; feigning …   Etymology dictionary

  • feign — feign; feign·er; …   English syllables

  • feign — I verb affect, beguile, belie, cheat, concoct, counterfeit, create a false appearance, deceive, delude, disguise, dissemble, dissimulate, distort the truth, fabricate, falsify, fingere, imagine, imitate deceptively, impersonate, lack candor, he… …   Law dictionary

  • feign — [feın] v [T] formal [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: feindre, from Latin fingere to shape, pretend ] to pretend to have a particular feeling or to be ill, asleep etc ▪ Feigning a headache, I went upstairs to my room …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • feign — [ feın ] verb transitive FORMAL to pretend to have a particular feeling: OK, she said, feigning indifference …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • feign — simulate, counterfeit, sham, pretend, affect, *assume Analogous words: fabricate, manufacture, forge (see MAKE): dissemble, *disguise, cloak, mask, camouflage …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • feign — [v] pretend act, affect, assume, bluff*, counterfeit, devise, dissemble, dissimulate, do a bit*, fabricate, fake, forge, four flush*, give appearance of, imagine, imitate, invent, make show of*, phony up*, play, play possum*, put on, put on act* …   New thesaurus

  • feign — ► VERB ▪ pretend to be affected by (a feeling, state, or injury). ORIGIN Old French feindre, from Latin fingere mould, contrive …   English terms dictionary

  • feign — [fān] vt. [ME feinen < OFr feindre (prp. feignant) < L fingere, to touch, handle, shape: see FIGURE] 1. Obs. to form; shape 2. to make up (a story, excuse, etc.); invent; fabricate 3. to make a false show of; pretend; imitate; simulate 4.… …   English World dictionary

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