pre·text

noun

/ˈpriːtekst/

a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason; an excuse借口；托词
- (as a) pretext for (doing) something The incident was used as a pretext for intervention in the area.这次事件被用作干涉那个地区的借口。
- on the pretext of doing something He left the party early on the pretext of having work to do.他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会。
- on a/the… pretext People were being arrested on the flimsiest of pretexts.人们以最站不住脚的借口被捕。
- The case for war was made on a false pretext.战争的理由是基于虚假的借口。
- under the pretext of doing something Under the pretext of checking her identity, the man had copied down her credit card details.那个男的以检查她的身分为借口抄下了她信用卡的详细资料。
- pretext to do something Be careful not to give him a pretext to report you.小心别给他一个举报你的借口。
Synonyms reason
reasonexplanation ▪ grounds ▪ basis ▪ excuse ▪ motive ▪ justification ▪ pretextThese are all words for a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done.
reason a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done; a fact that makes it right or fair to do something:
He said no but he didn’t give a reason.他说不行，但没有说明原因。
explanation a statement, fact or situation that tells you why something has happened; a reason given for something:
The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed.最可能的解释是他的飞机晚点了。
She left the room abruptly without explanation.她未作解释就突然离开了房间。
grounds (rather formal) a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something:
You have no grounds for complaint.你没有理由抱怨。
basis (rather formal) the reason why people take a particular action:
On what basis will this decision be made?将基于何种原因作出这一决定呢？
excuse a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour; a good reason that you give for doing something that you want to do for other reasons:
Late again! What’s your excuse this time?又迟到了！你这次有什么借口？
It gave me an excuse to take the car.这使我有理由开车去。
motive a reason that explains somebody’s behaviour:
There seemed to be no motive for the murder.这起谋杀案看不出有什么动机。
justification (rather formal) a good reason why something exists or is done:
I can see no possible justification for any further tax increases.我看不出还能提出什么理由再加税。
grounds or justification?Justification is used to talk about finding or understanding reasons for actions, or trying to explain why it is a good idea to do something. It is often used with words like little, no, some, every, without, and not any. Grounds is used more for talking about reasons that already exist, or that have already been decided, for example by law: moral/economic grounds.
pretext (rather formal) a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason:
He left the party early on the pretext of having to work.他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会。
Patterns
- (a/an) reason/explanation/grounds/basis/excuse/motive/justification/pretext for something
- the reason/motive behind something
- on the grounds/basis/pretext of/that…
- (a) good/valid reason/explanation/grounds/excuse/motive/justification
Extra Examples
- He keeps popping into my office on the slightest pretext.他总是随便找个借口就跑到我的办公室来。
- He used his research as a pretext for going to Hungary.他以搞研究为名到匈牙利去旅游。
- This was a false pretext to attack another country.这是攻击另一个国家的虚假借口。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- flimsy
- false
verb + pretext
- give somebody
- provide (somebody with)
- find
- …
preposition
- on a/the pretext
- under a/the pretext
- pretext for
- …
phrases
- at the slightest pretext
- on the slightest pretext
Word Originearly 16th cent.: from Latin praetextus ‘outward display’, from the verb praetexere ‘to disguise’, from prae ‘before’ + texere ‘weave’.

单词	pretext
释义	pre·text noun /ˈpriːtekst/ /ˈpriːtekst/ a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason; an excuse借口；托词 (as a) pretext for (doing) something The incident was used as a pretext for intervention in the area.这次事件被用作干涉那个地区的借口。 on the pretext of doing something He left the party early on the pretext of having work to do.他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会。 on a/the… pretext People were being arrested on the flimsiest of pretexts.人们以最站不住脚的借口被捕。 The case for war was made on a false pretext.战争的理由是基于虚假的借口。 under the pretext of doing something Under the pretext of checking her identity, the man had copied down her credit card details.那个男的以检查她的身分为借口抄下了她信用卡的详细资料。 pretext to do something Be careful not to give him a pretext to report you.小心别给他一个举报你的借口。 Synonyms reasonreasonexplanation ▪ grounds ▪ basis ▪ excuse ▪ motive ▪ justification ▪ pretextThese are all words for a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done.reason a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done; a fact that makes it right or fair to do something: He said no but he didn’t give a reason.他说不行，但没有说明原因。 explanation a statement, fact or situation that tells you why something has happened; a reason given for something: The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed.最可能的解释是他的飞机晚点了。 She left the room abruptly without explanation.她未作解释就突然离开了房间。 grounds (rather formal) a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something: You have no grounds for complaint.你没有理由抱怨。 basis (rather formal) the reason why people take a particular action: On what basis will this decision be made?将基于何种原因作出这一决定呢？ excuse a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour; a good reason that you give for doing something that you want to do for other reasons: Late again! What’s your excuse this time?又迟到了！你这次有什么借口？ It gave me an excuse to take the car.这使我有理由开车去。 motive a reason that explains somebody’s behaviour: There seemed to be no motive for the murder.这起谋杀案看不出有什么动机。 justification (rather formal) a good reason why something exists or is done: I can see no possible justification for any further tax increases.我看不出还能提出什么理由再加税。 grounds or justification?Justification is used to talk about finding or understanding reasons for actions, or trying to explain why it is a good idea to do something. It is often used with words like little, no, some, every, without, and not any. Grounds is used more for talking about reasons that already exist, or that have already been decided, for example by law: moral/economic grounds.pretext (rather formal) a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason: He left the party early on the pretext of having to work.他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会。 Patterns (a/an) reason/explanation/grounds/basis/excuse/motive/justification/pretext for something the reason/motive behind something on the grounds/basis/pretext of/that… (a) good/valid reason/explanation/grounds/excuse/motive/justification Extra Examples He keeps popping into my office on the slightest pretext.他总是随便找个借口就跑到我的办公室来。 He used his research as a pretext for going to Hungary.他以搞研究为名到匈牙利去旅游。 This was a false pretext to attack another country.这是攻击另一个国家的虚假借口。 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective flimsy false verb + pretext give somebody provide (somebody with) find … preposition on a/the pretext under a/the pretext pretext for … phrases at the slightest pretext on the slightest pretext Word Originearly 16th cent.: from Latin praetextus ‘outward display’, from the verb praetexere ‘to disguise’, from prae ‘before’ + texere ‘weave’.
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