feint

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Basically a melee attack is a standard action

No, it isn't. There is, however, a standard action which allows you to make a melee attack.

Similarly, there are standard actions which allow you to make ranged attacks, full-round actions which allow you to make more than one ranged or melee attack, and non-actions which allow ranged or melee attacks.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I really think we are stating the same thing only coming about to it via different paths.

We may end up in the same place, but I don't think we are stating the same thing. When I see the phrase "melee attack" in the rules, it does not directly or indirectly refer to the Standard Action identified by section heading of the same name (but not identified by tabular reference). It merely refers to the definition I provided, with no indication on what type of action is required. As evidenced in the rules on Feint, the action type is actually irrelevant. It could be part of a full round action, a standard action, or even not an action.