PATRONAGE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does patronage mean? 

• PATRONAGE (noun)
  The noun PATRONAGE has 5 senses:

1. the act of providing approval and support

2. customers collectively

3. a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient

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

  Familiarity information: PATRONAGE used as a noun is common.

• PATRONAGE (verb)
  The verb PATRONAGE has 2 senses:

1. support by being a patron of

2. be a regular customer or client of

  Familiarity information: PATRONAGE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PATRONAGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of providing approval and support

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

backing; backup; championship; patronage

Context example:

his vigorous backing of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives

Hypernyms ("patronage" is a kind of...):

approval; approving; blessing (the formal act of approving)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Customers collectively

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

business; clientele; patronage

Context example:

they have an upper class clientele

Hypernyms ("patronage" is a kind of...):

people ((plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively)

Derivation:

patronage (be a regular customer or client of)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

condescension; disdain; patronage

Hypernyms ("patronage" is a kind of...):

depreciation; derogation; disparagement (a communication that belittles somebody or something)

Sense 4

Meaning:

(politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("patronage" is a kind of...):

social control (control exerted (actively or passively) by group action)

Domain category:

government; political science; politics (the study of government of states and other political units)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patronage"):

nomenklatura (the system of patronage in communist countries; controlled by committees in the Communist Party)

Derivation:

patronage (support by being a patron of)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The business given to a commercial establishment by its customers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

patronage; trade

Context example:

even before noon there was a considerable patronage

Hypernyms ("patronage" is a kind of...):

business (the volume of commercial activity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patronage"):

custom (habitual patronage)

Derivation:

patronage (be a regular customer or client of)

• PATRONAGE (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Support by being a patron of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "patronage" is one way to...):

keep; maintain; sustain (supply with necessities and support)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

patronage ((politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be a regular customer or client of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

keep going; patronage; patronise; patronize; support

Context example:

Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could

Hypernyms (to "patronage" is one way to...):

foster; nurture (help develop, help grow)

Verb group:

keep going; run on (continue uninterrupted)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

patronage (the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers)

patronage (customers collectively)

 Context examples 

I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this; and my interest is hardly more extensive.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Patronage does not trouble me when it is well meant.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Mr. Jack Maldon shook hands with me; but not very warmly, I believed; and with an air of languid patronage, at which I secretly took great umbrage.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

All the Stones have been in the sea-service, said my mother, apologetically to my uncle, and it is a great chance that he should enter under Lord Nelson’s own patronage.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On that event they removed to Mansfield; and the Parsonage there, which, under each of its two former owners, Fanny had never been able to approach but with some painful sensation of restraint or alarm, soon grew as dear to her heart, and as thoroughly perfect in her eyes, as everything else within the view and patronage of Mansfield Park had long been.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

But it is proved by the smallness of the school, which I have heard you speak of, as under the patronage of your sister and Mrs. Bragge; the only school, and not more than five-and-twenty children.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

'This young gentleman is blessed, in a peculiar way, with every thing the heart of mortal can most desire,—splendid property, noble kindred, and extensive patronage. Yet in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin Elizabeth, and yourself, of what evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentleman's proposals, which, of course, you will be inclined to take immediate advantage of.'

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

A young man really well deserves constant support and patronage,” looking at the Doctor, “who makes such sacrifices.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He was beyond comparison the most pleasant man; he certainly admired her, and his situation in life was most eligible; but, to counterbalance these advantages, Mr. Darcy had considerable patronage in the church, and his cousin could have none at all.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I was rather bashful at first, Steerforth being so self-possessed, and elegant, and superior to me in all respects (age included); but his easy patronage soon put that to rights, and made me quite at home.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)