ad captandumadv.adj.

1731 Key to Craftsman 32 Such Common-Place Topicks in your Writing are only ad Captandum, to raise a Dust, and to insinuate Scandal into the Hearts of the People.

1767 T. Hutchinson Hist. Province Massachusets-Bay, 1691–1750 i. 114 Extracts, from one or two [of Lord Bellamont's speeches], shew they were calculated ad captandum.

1825 Gentleman's Mag. Aug. 147/1 Though not immediately popular, nor written ‘ad captandum’, we dare predict for it an abiding reputation.

1899 Amer. Hist. Rev. 4 468 The judgment was not given ad captandum. It was clearly announced after long and careful consideration.

1913 C. Hallock Angler's Reminisc. viii. 52 The trick transpired at once, but the victim never let on; and so the game was repeated, ad captandum.

2006 J.-P. Chevalier Sarcophagus iv. 39 This was not your typical young buck.., hypercritical of others as a means to impress his superiors, and spouting fashionable acronyms ad captandum.

1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) x. 95 Such an ad captandum argument, as the offer of half a guinea.

1882 W. James Let. 8 Jan. in R. B. Perry Thought & Char. W. James (1935) I. 737 Arguments which I cared little about..were used merely on account of their availability and ad captandum power.

1926 R. Fry Transformations 112 How considerable an artist lies hidden behind that ad captandum sentimentality.

1931 R. Fry in W. Rose Outl. Mod. Knowl. 961 But vulgar and ad captandum as his art was, he [sc. Caravaggio] had a touch of genius.

1994 Tobacco Control 3 277/2 This work is not of that ilk but simply ad captandum populism.