Do we say portend or pretend

portend 78 occurrences

It is supposed by many to portend an alliance, offensive and defensive, between the King of Central and the Philosopher of Printing-House Square. FROM ERIE.

Among these may be included the plum, cherry, withered roses, walnut, hemp, cypress, dandelion, &c. Beans are still said to produce bad dreams and to portend evil; and according to a Leicestershire saying, "If you wish for awful dreams or desire to go crazy, sleep in a bean-field all night."

One reason, perhaps, for the attention so universally paid to the moon's changes in agricultural pursuits is, writes Mr. Farrer, "that they are far more remarkable than any of the sun's, and more calculated to inspire dread by the nocturnal darkness they contend with, and hence are held in popular fancy nearly everywhere, to cause, portend, or accord with changes in the lot of mortals, and all things terrestrial.

Since the Pequod war, there had been no great Indian uprising; but there was a general feeling of uneasiness which seemed to portend a general outbreak.

Did it portend good or evil?

In the infancy of astronomical science it was regarded by astrologers as a sign to portend the birth of an extraordinary individual.

At this distance of time we find it hard to realize what the election of 1800 seemed to portend to those who participated therein.

Did his dream portend the loss of his young wife?

When the morning sunlight warms his lips they part a little, and he giveth utterance to the words "Oon Oom," and the language is long since dead in which he speaks, and all his worshippers are gathered to their tombs, so that none knoweth what the words portend that he uttereth at dawn.

But in Babbulkund King Nehemoth hath been troubled in the nights by unkingly dreams of doom, and none may interpret what the dreams portend.

And the golden day appeared, dispelling dreams, and still the abominations were silent, and the King's prophets answered not to portend the omen of the dream.

What can this portend?

The roar of battle still renders inaudible all voices save its own, but already the dusk begins to gather over the halls where sit the War-lord and those who, for the realisation of their monstrous dreams, loosed hell upon the world, and in the growing dusk there begin to steal upon the wall the letters of pale flame that to them portend the doom, and to us give promise of dawn.

And a mule brought forth young, an occurrence which had been previously interpreted as destined to portend the possession of authority by him.

Again, for many days a comet star had been seen in Rome and was said to portend nothing favorable.

There were, two or three Nights ago, some Fiddles heard in the Street, which I am afraid portend me no Good; not to mention a tall Irish-Man, that has been seen walking before my House more than once this Winter.

And amongst the omens which portend immortality, not necessarily for the philosophical scheme, but for the "God-intoxicated" devoutness of his Pantheism, is the desire, or rather the imperious need increasingly realized, for a religion emancipated from theories of creation or teleology, intolerant of any miracle, save indeed the wonders of the spiritual life, and satisfying the heart with an ever present God.

"It seems to portend mischief.

What could this portend?

Then, having become one on this serious subject, we began to wonder what Mr. Haines' dream might portend this time, and prepare our minds for the verse from the prophecies over which dear Uncle Pennyman had made his latest stumble.

What did they portend?

I watched him narrowly at noon, and I remarked that he smiled more than once when there was no visible cause for mirth, and you well known what his smiles portend.

You can never tell, I have learned, just what a twinkle in a British staff officer's eye may portend.

In the next place, I shall make out any Dream, upon hearing a single Circumstance of it; and in the last place, shall expound to them the good or bad Fortune which such Dreams portend.

what could it portend?

pretend 2220 occurrences

If we place the fingers on the "Adam's apple," and then pretend to swallow something, we can feel the upper part of the windpipe and the closing of its lid (epiglottis), so as to cover the entrance and prevent the passage of food into the trachea.

And then he would pretend it was true, and would tell himself stories about them, and make believe they were his friends, and that they came to talk to him and let him love them.

All the way down I was debating with myself what excuse I could offer for calling at such a late hour, and finally I decided that the best thing would be to pretend that I was a travelling American artist who had seen and admired some of Tommy's work.

"I am only quite sure that neither McMurtrie nor Savaroff are what they pretend to be.

We pretend to claim for our government the loftiest purpose, the most comprehensive views, and the best practical results.

But had those wits, the wonders of their dayes, Or that sweete Teian poet*, which did spend His plenteous vaine in setting forth her praise, 220 Seen but a glims of this which I pretend**, How wondrously would he her face commend, Above that idole of his fayning thought, That all the world should with his rimes be fraught!

[** Pretend, set forth, (or, simply) intend.]

Be it far from me to pretend that we are always right or that we have arrived in our country at the perfection of self-government.

They pretend to hate everybodymen, women, and children.

It was the game of the old carbineers, in slipping contraband cigars and tobacco-leaves under a house, in order to pretend a search and force the unfortunate owner to bribery or fines, only now the art had been perfected and, the tobacco monopoly abolished, resort was had to the prohibited arms.

This love makes so many writers take such pains, so many historiographers, physicians, &c., or at least, as they pretend, for common safety, and their country's benefit.

" "Show some pity for Christ's sake, pity a sick man, an old man," &c., he cares not, ride on: pretend sickness, inevitable loss of limbs, goods, plead suretyship, or shipwreck, fires, common calamities, show thy wants and imperfections, "Et si per sanctum juratus dicat Osyrim, Credite, non ludo, crudeles tollite claudum.

Let them pretend religion, zeal, make what shows they will, give alms, peace-makers, frequent sermons, if we may guess at the tree by the fruit, they are no better than hypocrites, epicures, atheists, with the "fool in their hearts they say there is no God."

Among truths certain in themselves, all are not equally certain unto me; and even of the mysteries of the Gospel I must needs say, with Mr. Richard Hooker, that whatever some may pretend, the subjective certainty cannot go beyond the objective evidence.

I insist but on the former, resumed he; nor can pretend to any claim to the latter;look on me therefore only as your friend, and let me know your sentiments plainly and sincerely on what I think proper to ask you.

so infinitely above any merit I can pretend to!what must he think of me if I refuse him!how madly stupid, how blind to my own interest, how thankless to him must I appear!how will he despise my folly!how hate my ingratitude!

returned she, a little slackening her pace, will you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have received:great must have been your professions to draw on you a resentment such as I have been witness

I do not pretend mine was as good, replied the innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet he was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been alive now.

May you always have it, sir, replied he with the utmost respect, over all who pretend to oppose you.

At last,Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you to secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me:and if I were convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you yet farther.

Louisa as often assured her that nothing should either tempt or provoke her to abuse that generous friendship she had testified for her; but as she was not able to command her countenance, tho' she could her words, she resolved to pretend herself indisposed and keep her bed, that she might be the less observed, or the change in her should seem rather the effects of ill health than any secret discontent.

I do not pretend to quote correctly, but that was the gist of it.

How could she for one moment pretend that she did not trust him, that her heart did not yearn to go with him.

They did not pretend to be autochthonous, but claimed that their ancestors came from distant regions, in two bands.

Presently he discovered that it was delightful to shut your eyes and nod your head and pretend that you were going to sleep; it was like being in a swing that went up and up and never came down again.

Do we say   portend   or  pretend