False pretenses

False pretenses
False False, a. [Compar. {Falser}; superl. {Falsest}.] [L. falsus, p. p. of fallere to deceive; cf. OF. faus, fals, F. faux, and AS. fals fraud. See {Fail}, {Fall}.] 1. Uttering falsehood; unveracious; given to deceit; dishnest; as, a false witness. [1913 Webster]

2. Not faithful or loyal, as to obligations, allegiance, vows, etc.; untrue; treacherous; perfidious; as, a false friend, lover, or subject; false to promises. [1913 Webster]

I to myself was false, ere thou to me. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. Not according with truth or reality; not true; fitted or likely to deceive or disappoint; as, a false statement. [1913 Webster]

4. Not genuine or real; assumed or designed to deceive; counterfeit; hypocritical; as, false tears; false modesty; false colors; false jewelry. [1913 Webster]

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

5. Not well founded; not firm or trustworthy; erroneous; as, a false claim; a false conclusion; a false construction in grammar. [1913 Webster]

Whose false foundation waves have swept away. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

6. Not essential or permanent, as parts of a structure which are temporary or supplemental. [1913 Webster]

7. (Mus.) Not in tune. [1913 Webster]

{False arch} (Arch.), a member having the appearance of an arch, though not of arch construction.

{False attic}, an architectural erection above the main cornice, concealing a roof, but not having windows or inclosing rooms.

{False bearing}, any bearing which is not directly upon a vertical support; thus, the weight carried by a corbel has a false bearing.

{False cadence}, an imperfect or interrupted cadence.

{False conception} (Med.), an abnormal conception in which a mole, or misshapen fleshy mass, is produced instead of a properly organized fetus.

{False croup} (Med.), a spasmodic affection of the larynx attended with the symptoms of membranous croup, but unassociated with the deposit of a fibrinous membrane.

{False door} or {False window} (Arch.), the representation of a door or window, inserted to complete a series of doors or windows or to give symmetry.

{False fire}, a combustible carried by vessels of war, chiefly for signaling, but sometimes burned for the purpose of deceiving an enemy; also, a light on shore for decoying a vessel to destruction.

{False galena}. See {Blende}.

{False imprisonment} (Law), the arrest and imprisonment of a person without warrant or cause, or contrary to law; or the unlawful detaining of a person in custody.

{False keel} (Naut.), the timber below the main keel, used to serve both as a protection and to increase the shio's lateral resistance.

{False key}, a picklock.

{False leg}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Proleg}.

{False membrane} (Med.), the fibrinous deposit formed in croup and diphtheria, and resembling in appearance an animal membrane.

{False papers} (Naut.), documents carried by a ship giving false representations respecting her cargo, destination, etc., for the purpose of deceiving.

{False passage} (Surg.), an unnatural passage leading off from a natural canal, such as the urethra, and produced usually by the unskillful introduction of instruments.

{False personation} (Law), the intentional false assumption of the name and personality of another.

{False pretenses} (Law), false representations concerning past or present facts and events, for the purpose of defrauding another.

{False rail} (Naut.), a thin piece of timber placed on top of the head rail to strengthen it.

{False relation} (Mus.), a progression in harmony, in which a certain note in a chord appears in the next chord prefixed by a flat or sharp.

{False return} (Law), an untrue return made to a process by the officer to whom it was delivered for execution.

{False ribs} (Anat.), the asternal rebs, of which there are five pairs in man.

{False roof} (Arch.), the space between the upper ceiling and the roof. --Oxford Gloss.

{False token}, a false mark or other symbol, used for fraudulent purposes.

{False scorpion} (Zo["o]l.), any arachnid of the genus {Chelifer}. See {Book scorpion}.

{False tack} (Naut.), a coming up into the wind and filling away again on the same tack.

{False vampire} (Zo["o]l.), the {Vampyrus spectrum} of South America, formerly erroneously supposed to have blood-sucking habits; -- called also {vampire}, and {ghost vampire}. The genuine blood-sucking bats belong to the genera {Desmodus} and {Diphylla}. See {Vampire}.

{False window}. (Arch.) See {False door}, above.

{False wing}. (Zo["o]l.) See {Alula}, and {Bastard wing}, under {Bastard}.

{False works} (Civil Engin.), construction works to facilitate the erection of the main work, as scaffolding, bridge centering, etc. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • false pretenses — false pre·tens·es / pre ˌten səz, pri ten / n pl: false representations concerning past or present facts that are made with the intent to defraud another; also: the crime of obtaining title to another s property by false pretenses compare larceny …   Law dictionary

  • false pretenses — n. Law deliberate misrepresentation of fact in speech or action in order to obtain another s property …   English World dictionary

  • False pretenses — For the films, see False Pretenses (film). Criminal law …   Wikipedia

  • false pretenses — Illegally obtaining money, goods, or merchandise from another by fraud or misrepresentation. As a statutory crime, although defined in slightly different ways in the various jurisdictions, consists generally of these elements: (1) an intent to… …   Black's law dictionary

  • false pretenses — Illegally obtaining money, goods, or merchandise from another by fraud or misrepresentation. As a statutory crime, although defined in slightly different ways in the various jurisdictions, consists generally of these elements: (1) an intent to… …   Black's law dictionary

  • False Pretenses (film) — False Pretenses may refer to:* False Pretenses (1935 film) * False Pretenses (1974 film) …   Wikipedia

  • False Pretenses (1935 film) — Infobox Film name = False Pretenses image size = caption = director = Charles Lamont producer = George R. Batcheller writer = Ewart Adamson Betty Burbridge narrator = starring = Irene Ware music = cinematography = M. A. Anderson editing = Roland… …   Wikipedia

  • false pretenses — noun plural : false representations concerning past or present facts or events for the purpose of defrauding another …   Useful english dictionary

  • false pretenses — 1. a deliberate misrepresentation of facts, as to obtain title to money or property. 2. the use of such misrepresentation. [1750 60] * * * …   Universalium

  • false pretenses —    A form of fraud that involves knowingly making untrue statements or other misrepresentations to obtain money or property. Examples include falsely claiming to represent a charity and then keeping any donations, and claiming that a painting is… …   Business law dictionary

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