feindre

to pretend, to feign

verb faN-DR Rare

Origin: from Latin fingere, 'to shape, to feign'

Usage Note

feindre is an irregular verb conjugated like peindre: il feint, nous feignons. It always takes an infinitive or noun: feindre de dormir means 'to pretend to be asleep'. The related adjective feint means 'feigned' or 'fake'.

Examples

"Il feint de ne pas entendre."

Natural Translation

He pretends not to hear.

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