patron
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈpeɪ.tɹən/
Noun

patron (plural patrons)

  1. One who protects or supports; a defender or advocate.
    • c. 1590–1592, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:
      patron of my life and liberty
    • the patron of true holiness
    • 1842, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome/Virginia:
      Let him who works the client wrong / Beware the patron's ire.
    1. A guardian; synonym of patron saint#English|patron saint.
      St. Joseph is the patron of many different places.
  2. An influential, wealthy person who supported an artist, craftsman, a scholar or a noble.
  3. A regular customer, as of a certain store or restaurant.
    This car park is for patrons only.
  4. (historical, Roman law) A protector of a dependent, especially a master who had freed a slave but still retained some paternal rights.
  5. (UK, ecclesiastical) One who has gift and disposition of a benefice.
  6. (nautical) A padrone.
  7. (obsolete or historical) A property owner, a landlord, a master. (Compare patroon.)
    • 1992, Eric O. Ayisi, St. Eustatius, Treasure Island of the Caribbean
      [...] would obtain permission from the West India Company to settle in certain areas in the New World and cultivate the land. Sometimes absentee patrons would give the colony to a group of interested persons and the patrons would finance ...
Related terms Translations Translations Translations Verb

patron (patrons, present participle patroning; past and past participle patroned)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To be a patron of; to patronize; to favour.
  2. (transitive, obsolete) To treat as a patron.



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