Hypertext Webster Gateway: "patronage"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Patronage \Pa"tron*age\, n. [F. patronage. Cf. LL. patronaticum,
and L. patronatus.]
1. 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.
2. Business custom. [Commercial Cant]
3. Guardianship, as of a saint; tutelary care. --Addison.
4. The right of nomination to political office; also, the
offices, contracts, honors, etc., which a public officer
may bestow by favor.
5. (Eng. Law) The right of presentation to church or
ecclesiastical benefice; advowson. --Blackstone.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Patronage \Pa"tron*age\, v. t.
To act as a patron of; to maintain; to defend. [Obs.] --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
patronage
n 1: the act of providing approval and support; "his vigorous
backing of the conservatives got him in trouble with
progressives" [syn: {backing}, {championship}]
2: customers collectively; "they have an upper class clientele"
[syn: {clientele}, {business}]
3: a communication that indicates lack of respect by
patronizing the recipient [syn: {condescension}, {disdain}]
4: (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making
appointments to office in return for political support
5: the business given to a commercial establishment by its
customers: "even before noon there was a considerable
patronage" [syn: {trade}]
v 1: support by being a patron of
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" [syn: {patronize}, {patronise}, {support}, {keep
going}]
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