feign

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English

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Etymology

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(deprecated template usage) From Middle English feynen, feinen[1], borrowed from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint.

Pronunciation

Verb

feign (third-person singular simple present feigns, present participle feigning, simple past and past participle feigned)

  1. To make a false show or pretence of; to counterfeit or simulate.
    The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.
    They feigned her signature on the cheque.
  2. To imagine; to invent; to pretend.
    He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.
  3. To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent.
    • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert's debut goal gives England victory over Scotland (in The Guardian, 14 August 2013)[1]
      Cahill was beaten far too easily for Miller's goal, although the striker deserves the credit for the way he controlled Alan Hutton's right-wing delivery, with his back to goal, feigned to his left then went the other way and pinged a splendid left-foot shot into Hart's bottom right-hand corner.
  4. To hide or conceal.
    Jessica feigned the fact that she had not done her homework.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “feign”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
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