Truth, Secrecy, & Deception - Pretense

Discover how English idioms like "keep up appearances" and "crocodile tears" relate to pretenses in English.

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in name (only|alone) [phrase]

used for saying that a person, thing, situation etc. is not actually like what their description, label, or title suggests

Ex: The company provided employee benefits on paper , but they were benefits in name only , with numerous restrictions and limitations .

to [keep] up appearances [phrase]

to act and behave as if everything is fine so that others do not find out about one's problems

Ex: The politician maintained a polished public image to keep up appearances , carefully managing their public relations .

lip service [noun]

an insincere offer or promise of support, assistance, etc.

Ex: Despite claiming to support equality , his actions showed that his words were mere lip service .

to [put] {one's} money where {one's} [mouth] [is] [phrase]

to take action that proves one's sincerity or commitment to what one has said by investing or spending money on it

Ex:

wolf in (sheep's|lamb's) clothing [phrase]

an evil person who seems nice and friendly

Ex: The seemingly friendly colleague was a wolf in sheep 's clothing , stealing credit for others ' work behind their backs .

to [play] dead [phrase]

to fake death by lying on the ground without moving

Ex: The child was scared of the monster under the bed and decided to play dead , hoping it would go away .

to [put] on a brave (face|front) [phrase]

to behave in a way that hides one's unhappiness, worries, or problems

Ex:

to [play] it cool [phrase]

to act calmly in order to hide one's anger, enthusiasm, fear, etc. from others

Ex: The negotiator played it cool during the intense discussion , maintaining a poker face to hide their true intentions .

to [cry] wolf [phrase]

to have a bad reputation of calling for help when one does not really need any, and so making oneself untrustworthy

Ex: The student had a habit of frequently using the excuse of a lost homework assignment , thus crying wolf , so when it actually happened , the teacher was doubtful .

crocodile tears [noun]

fake display of feelings of sadness, remorse, or sympathy

Ex: The actor 's emotional outburst during the interview seemed like crocodile tears , designed to gain sympathy and generate publicity .

butter would not melt in {one's} mouth [sentence]

used for saying that a person only appears to be nice or innocent, but they are not like that in reality

Ex: The child looked so innocent , as if butter would not melt in her mouth , but she was secretly the one who broke the vase .

to [put] on an act [phrase]

to talk or behave in a way that is fake

Ex:

accidentally on purpose [phrase]

used to refer to when someone does something intentionally, but pretends as if it was an accident

Ex: John bumped into his ex-girlfriend at the party accidentally on purpose to gauge her reaction .

stool pigeon [noun]

a person sent into a group as a spy to report on its activities

Ex: The con artist posed as a fellow scam victim to gain the trust of others and later turned into a " stool pigeon " for the police .

to [play] possum [phrase]

to pretend as if one is asleep or dead so that others will not bother or attack one

Ex: The suspect , realizing the police were closing in , chose to play possum and acted as if he had no knowledge of the crime .

paper tiger [noun]

someone or something that looks frightening, dangerous, or strong while in reality, they are not

Ex: The new company in the market appeared to be a " paper tiger " with flashy marketing but failed to deliver quality products and services .

[whistle] in the dark [phrase]

to act as if one is not afraid or worried

Ex:

to [turn] on the waterworks [phrase]

to begin crying just to get others to sympathize with one or do what one asks of them

Ex:

champagne taste on a beer budget [sentence]

used when someone likes to have things so expensive they cannot possibly afford

Ex:

to [strike] an attitude of {sth} [phrase]

to purposefully choose to behave in a specific manner to show a specific idea or leave a specific impression

Ex: The teacher encouraged the students to strike an attitude of curiosity and open-mindedness when approaching new subjects .

Truth, Secrecy, & Deception
Deception	Secrecy	Keeping Secrets	Lying & Exaggeration
Obviousness	Pretense	Revealing Secrets	Depth & Surface
Trust & Honesty	Truthfulness	Flattery & Bragging