Captation

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Captation \Cap*ta`tion\, n. [L. captatio, fr. captare to catch,
     intens. of caper to take: cf. F. captation.]
     A courting of favor or applause, by flattery or address; a
     captivating quality; an attraction. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  


           Without any of those dresses, or popular captations,
           which some men use in their speeches.    --Eikon
                                                    Basilike.
     [1913 Webster]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  CAPTATION, French law. The act of one who succeeds in controlling the will 
  of another, so as to become master of it. It is generally taken in a bad 
  sense. 
       2. Captation takes place by those demonstrations of attachment and 
  friendship, by those assiduous attentions, by those services and officious 
  little presents which are usual among friends, and by all those means which 
  ordinarily render us agreeable to others. When those attentions are 
  unattended by deceit or fraud, they are perfectly fair, and the captation is 
  lawful; but if, under the mask of friendship, fraud is the object, and means 
  are used to deceive the person with whom you are connected, then the 
  captation is fraudulent, and the acts procured by the captator are void. See 
  Influence.