under colour of
• under the pretext of.
• "under colour of writing the history of the East Frankish kingdom, he has dealt as much with the history of Italy"
Similar:
the pretext,
the cloak,
the mask,
the pretence,
the outward appearance,
the guise,
a false show,
a show,
a front,
a facade,
a semblance,
on the excuse of,
