pretendantadj.n.

1595 W. Allen et al. Conf. Next Succession Crowne of Ingland ii. iv. 58 Richard Earle of Cambridge father to this Richard pretendent duke of Yorke.

1595 S. Daniel First Fowre Bks. Ciuile Warres iv. xxxv. sig. V2 How easie had it beene for thee All the pretendant race t'haue laid full low.

1620 N. Brent tr. P. Sarpi Hist. Councel of Trent vii. 681 The Cardinall of Loraine came to the Councell as Head of one of the pretendent parties.

1641 J. Johnson Acad. Love 24 But suppose the pretendent curtesan bee but a phantasme, a shadow, a meere masse of penury, like unto this decayed peece of misery (pointing at me) what is your rule?

1989 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 24 Nov. Perhaps some student of literature somewhere..might hunt for parallels between the sad saga of the 17th-century pretendant Messiah and the great Bard of Avon's somewhat silly rigmarole.

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes A pretendent, a pretender, an intender, a meaner.

1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 59 The pretendants to the succession.

1618–29 in J. Rushworth Hist. Coll. (1659) 382 All the Pretendants were called in; upon these proceedings, divers of the Ships and Goods were condemned, and divers were released in a legal course.

1652 P. Heylyn Cosmographie ii. sig. Hh3^v Whether of the two Pretendents had the juster Cause.

1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa iii. iii. 315 Almost all the pretendants came into the Conclave with an absolute intention to advance every one his own proper interest.

1679 R. L'Estrange Toleration Discuss'd x. 82 Who shall Iudge of the Sound Belief, and Good Life, of the Pretendents to That Indulgence.

1704 W. Darrell Gentleman Instructed Pref. sig. A10^v He could not endure to tantalize Pretendants with gay Hopes.

1813 Ld. Byron Let. 21 Oct. (1974) III. 151 [He] had taken it into his..head..that I was a pretendant to the hand of the sister.

1826 R. Southey Vindiciæ Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ 189 They..are always heightened in proportion to the attention which the pretendant, whether knave or fanatic, obtains.

1855 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity VI. xiii. v. 73 All censures, excommunications, interdicts, issued by the two pretendants, were annulled.

1871 N.Y. Herald 12 July 9/1 The almost desperate situation of either of the opposing pretendants to the government of the country.

1925 ‘H. D.’ Coll. Poems 143 To incite his son, to put courage in his heart, that he call to the market-place the long-haired Greeks and shut his gates to the pretendants who ceaselessly devour his flocks.

2005 Oxf. Dict. National Biogr. (Electronic ed.) at Banks, Thomas Christopher Banks gave proof of his own personal faith in the claims of Humphrys by allowing the pretendant..to create him a baronet.

1625 S. Purchas tr. A. de Herrera Descr. W. Indies xxviii, in Pilgrimes III. v. i. 909 That he which shall come or send to request his Maiestie to present him to some dignitie, office, or benefice, shall appeare before the Ministers of the Prouince, and declaring his petition, he shall giue information of his kindred, learning, customes & sufficiency, and the Minister shall make another of his office, and with his opinion to send it, and that the pretendant do bring also an approbation from his Prelate.

1641 J. Johnson Acad. Love 78 This is never practised, but when foure pretendents or studious amorists sollicite the same female in an equality of engagement.

1652 J. Wadsworth tr. P. de Sandoval Civil Wars Spain 30 It is reported that a certain Pretendent or Petitioner..had presented Xeures with a very handsom Mule.

1655 tr. C. Sorel Comical Hist. Francion ii. 45 By this, and other like subtilties, she skrewed..a small summe of Money out of her penurious Pretendant.

1803 H. L. Piozzi Let. 25 July in Thraliana (1942) II. 1041 Thelwall Salusbury..my Cousin, my Pretendant..& my Enemy.

1883 W. D. Howells Woman's Reason (new ed.) II. xxi. 209 The good-natured slight with which husband and wife always talk over the sorrows of unlucky pretendants.