patron

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pa=tron

CIDE DICTIONARY

patron, n. [F., fr. L. patronus, fr. pater a father. See Paternal, and cf. Patroon, Padrone, Pattern.].

•  One who protects, supports, or countenances; a defender.  [1913 Webster]
•  A master who had freed his slave, but still retained some paternal rights over him.  [1913 Webster]

  "Let him who works the client wrong
  Beware the patron's ire."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who encourages or helps a person, a cause, or a work; a furtherer; a promoter; as, a patron of art.  [1913 Webster]
•  One who has gift and disposition of a benefice.  [1913 Webster]
•  A guardian saint. -- called also patron saint.  [1913 Webster]
•  See Padrone, 2.  [1913 Webster]

Patrons of Husbandry, the grangers. See Granger, 2.

patron, v. t. 

 To be a patron of; to patronize; to favor.  Sir T. Browne.  [1913 Webster]

patron, a. 

 Doing the duty of a patron; giving aid or protection; tutelary.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]

Patron saint (R. C. Ch.), a saint regarded as the peculiar protector of a country, community, church, profession, etc., or of an individual.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

patron, n. (fem. patroness)
1 a person who gives financial or other support to a person, cause, work of art, etc., esp. one who buys works of art.
2 a usu. regular customer of a shop etc.
3 Rom. Antiq. a the former owner of a freed slave. b the protector of a client.
4 Brit. a person who has the right of presenting a member of the clergy to a benefice.

Idiom

patron saint the protecting or guiding saint of a person, place, etc.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L patronus protector of clients, defender f. pater patris father

THESAURUS

patron

Dionysus, Maecenas, OD, Samaritan, Santa Claus, abettor, admirer, advocate, aficionado, aid, aider, almoner, almsgiver, angel, apologist, assignor, assister, attender, audience, awarder, backer, befriender, benefactor, benefactress, benefiter, bestower, boatswain, booster, boss, buff, buyer, bwana, captain, caterer, champion, chandler, cheerful giver, chef, chief, chief engineer, chief mate, church dignitary, client, commander, commissariat, commissary, conferrer, consignor, contributor, customer, deck officer, defender, dependence, donator, donor, ecclesiarch, elder, employer, encourager, endorser, exponent, fairy godmother, fan, favorer, feoffor, financer, frequenter, friend, friend at court, funder, furnisher, giver, good Samaritan, good person, goodman, grantor, grubstaker, guarantor, guardian angel, guru, habitue, haunter, help, helper, helping hand, husband, imparter, jack-at-a-pinch, lady bountiful, liege, liege lord, lord, lord paramount, lover, mainstay, maintainer, manciple, mark, master, mate, meal ticket, merchant, ministering angel, ministrant, naval officer, navigating officer, navigator, overlord, padrone, paramount, paranymph, partisan, paterfamilias, patriarch, patroness, philanthropist, pillar, pipes, presenter, promoter, prospect, protagonist, protector, protectress, provider, provisioner, purchaser, purveyor, quartermaster, rabbi, regular, regular customer, reliance, retailer, rock, safekeeper, sahib, sailing master, second, second mate, seconder, sectary, seigneur, seignior, settler, shipmaster, sider, skipper, spectator, sponsor, staker, stalwart, standby, starets, steward, stock clerk, storekeeper, subscriber, succorer, sucker, sugar daddy, supplier, support, supporter, surety, sustainer, sutler, sympathizer, teacher, testate, testator, testatrix, the Old Man, theatergoer, tower, tower of strength, upholder, victualer, visitor, vivandier, votary, vouchsafer, watch officer, well-wisher

ROGET THESAURUS

patron

Auxiliary

N auxiliary, recruit, assistant, adjuvant, adjutant, ayudante, coaid, adjunct, help, helper, help mate, helping hand, midwife, colleague, partner, mate, confrere, cooperator, coadjutor, coadjutrix, collaborator, ally, friend, confidant, fidus Achates, pal, buddy, alter ego, confederate, accomplice, complice, accessory, accessory after the fact, particeps criminis, socius criminis, aide-de-camp, secretary, clerk, associate, marshal, right-hand, right-hand man, Friday, girl Friday, man Friday, gopher, gofer, candle- holder, bottle-holder, handmaid, servant, puppet, cat's-paw, jackal, tool, dupe, stooge, ame damnee, satellite, adherent, votary, sectarian, secretary, seconder, backer, upholder, abettor, advocate, partisan, champion, patron, friend at court, mediator, angel (theater, entertainment), friend in need, Jack at a pinch, deus ex machina, guardian angel, tutelary genius.

Purchase

N purchase, emption, buying, purchasing, shopping, preemption, refusal, coemption, bribery, slave trade, buyer, purchaser, emptor, vendee, patron, employer, client, customer, clientele, purchased, caveat emptor, the customer is always right.

Friend

N friend, friend of one's bosom, alter ego, best friend, bosom friend, soulmate, fast friend, amicus, usque ad aras, fidus Achates, persona grata, acquaintance, neighbor, next-door neighbor, casual acquaintance, nodding acquaintance, wellwisher, favorer, fautor, patron, Mecaenas, tutelary saint, good genius, advocate, partisan, sympathizer, ally, friend in need, comrade, mate, companion, familiar, confrere, comrade, camarade, confidante, intimate, old crony, crony, chum, pal, buddy, bosom buddy, playfellow, playmate, childhood friend, bedfellow, bedmate, chamber fellow, associate, colleague, compeer, schoolmate, schoolfellow, classfellow, classman, classmate, roommate, fellow-man, stable companion, best man, maid of honor, matron of honor, compatriot, fellow countryman, countryman, shopmate, fellow-worker, shipmate, messmate, fellow companion, boon companion, pot companion, copartner, partner, senior partner, junior partner, Arcades ambo Pylades and Orestes Castor and Pollux, Nisus and Euryalus, Damon and Pythias, par nobile fratrum, host, Amphitryon, Boniface, guest, visitor, prot_eg_e, amici probantur rebus adversis, ohne bruder kann man leben nicht ohne Freund, best friend, my well-spring in the wilderness, conocidos muchos amigos pocos, friend more divine than all divinities, vida sin amigo muerte sin testigo.

Pity

N pity, compassion, commiseration, bowels, of compassion, sympathy, fellow-feeling, tenderness, yearning, forbearance, humanity, mercy, clemency, leniency, charity, ruth, long- suffering, melting mood, argumentum ad misericordiam, quarter, grace, locus paenitentiae, sympathizer, advocate, friend, partisan, patron, wellwisher, pitying, pitiful, compassionate, sympathetic, touched, merciful, clement, ruthful, humane, humanitarian, tender, tender hearted, tender as a chicken, soft, soft hearted, unhardened, lenient, exorable, forbearing, melting, weak, Int, for pity's sake!, mercy!, have mercy!, cry you mercy!, God help you!, poor thing!, poor dear!, poor fellow!, woe betide!, quis talia fando temperet a lachrymiss!, one's heart bleeding for, haud ignara mali miseris succurrere disco, a fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind, onor di bocca assai giova e poco costa.