Noun

1. Insincere (and usually fickle) love pretended in the hope of gaining something useful in exchange.
   • 1788, Anna Seward, Letter to Mrs Knowles April 20, 1788 read in Archibald Constable (editor), Letters of Anna Seward: Written Between the Years 1784 and 1807, Archibald Constable & Co, and Longman, etc. (1811) http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC15735393&id=Cx4GiwnfTa4C&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=%22cupboard+love%22+date:0-1820&num=100#PPA101,M1 p. 103,

     This last and long-enduring passion for Mrs Thrale was, however, composed equally perhaps of cupboard-love, Platonic love, and vanity tickled and gratified from morn to night by incessant homage.

   • 1818, Thomas Brown, Bath, a satirical novel, http://books.google.com/books?vid=0RMTk RlQC6HU-Ei&id=O6cBAAAAQAAJ&q=%22cupboard+love%22+date:0-1820&dq=%22cupboard+love%22+date:0-1820&num=100&pgis=1 p.114,

     Besides, Sandy includes a little cupboard love in the detail of his sentiments. Nothing can be a more undeniable proof of the truth of this statement than the trials of Mrs. K—— and Mrs. D——. In both instances the lovers were nice, attentive fatherly men.

   • 2006, Hilary Lloyd, A Necessary Killing, UKA Press, ISBN 1905796005, http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1905796005&id=zhMm2sBtm8EC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&ots=1aNhFw9BM4&dq=%22cupboard+love%22+date:2006-2006&num=100&sig=dtnrO962aojugfWOKEEemxcS4jI p. 30,

     I stump down my field, not the lane past Mike's, and the ewes think it's feeding time. I let them bombard me, grateful for the noisy bleating of their cupboard love.

   • 2006, Neil A. Harris, The Council of Elders: The Halfling Chronicles Book 1, AuthorHouse, ISBN 1425913741, http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN1425913741&id=4zVKvBqCVQYC&pg=RA1-PA191&lpg=RA1-PA191&ots=26Q4iL4wxD&dq=%22cupboard+love%22+date:2006-2006&num=100&sig=0VCPe8DUMfM4yp wShWWel0DRGY p. 191,

     You don't owe them anything Stephen, its just cupboard love...suddenly they need you...you said it yourself, they never contacted you before.