patronage

n. sponsorship; support; clientele

"Patron" redirects here. For other uses and more specific articles, see Patron (disambiguation). Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege and often financial aid given by a person or an organization. It can also refer to the right of bestowing offices or church benefices, the business given by a regular customer, and the guardianship of saints.
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Noun
1. the act of providing approval and support; "his vigorous backing of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives"
(synonym) backing, backup, championship
(hypernym) blessing, approval, approving
2. customers collectively; "they have an upper class clientele"
(synonym) clientele, business
(hypernym) people
(derivation) patronize, patronise, support, keep going
3. a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient
(synonym) condescension, disdain
(hypernym) disparagement, depreciation, derogation
4. (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support
(hypernym) social control
(hyponym) nomenklatura
(classification) politics, political science, government
5. the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers; "even before noon there was a considerable patronage"
(synonym) trade
(hypernym) business
(hyponym) custom
(derivation) patronize, patronise, support, keep going
Verb
1. support by being a patron of
(hypernym) sustain, keep, maintain
2. be a regular customer or client of; "We patronize this store"; "Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could"
(synonym) patronize, patronise, support, keep going
(hypernym) foster, nurture
(verb-group) run on, keep going
(derivation) trade

n. patronage, sponsorship; youth club

(v. t.)
To act as a patron of; to maintain; to defend.
  

(n.)
The right of presentation to church or ecclesiastical benefice; advowson.
  

(n.)
The right of nomination to political office; also, the offices, contracts, honors, etc., which a public officer may bestow by favor.
  

(n.)
Special countenance or support; favor, encouragement, or aid, afforded to a person or a work; as, the patronage of letters; patronage given to an author.
  

(n.)
Guardianship, as of a saint; tutelary care.
  

(n.)
Business custom.