feign

Etymology

From Middle English feynen, feinen, from Old French feindre (“to pretend”), from Latin fingere (“to form, shape, invent”). Compare French feignant (present participle of feindre, literally “feigning”). Also compare feint.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /feɪn/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -eɪn
• Homophones: fane, foehn, fain (archaic)

Verb

feign (third-person singular simple present feigns, present participle feigning, simple past and past participle feigned)

1. To make a false show or pretence of; to counterfeit or simulate.
   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 2:

     She had not been much of a dissembler, until now her loneliness taught her to feign.

   The pupil feigned sickness on the day of his exam.

   They feigned her signature on the cheque.

2. To imagine; to invent; to pretend.

   He feigned that he had gone home at the appointed time.

3. To make an action as if doing one thing, but actually doing another, for example to trick an opponent.
   • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert's debut goal gives England victory over Scotland (in The Guardian, 14 August 2013)

     Cahill was beaten far too easily for Miller's goal, although the striker deserves the credit for the way he controlled Alan Hutton's right-wing delivery, with his back to goal, feigned to his left then went the other way and pinged a splendid left-foot shot into Hart's bottom right-hand corner.

4. To hide or conceal.

   Jessica feigned the fact that she had not done her homework.