patronize

patronizeverb/ˈpætɹəˌnaɪz/

• 1

  To act as a patron of; to defend, protect, or support.

  • A great perſonage aſked lord S——h, how the citizens came to patronize ſuch a profligate as Wilkes. His lordſhip replied, "They would patronize the devil, if he aſſiſted them to pull down a miniſter."
  • But she is totally devoid of elegant accomplishments, excepting the knowledge of French and Italian, which she acquired from the most grotesque monster you ever beheld, whom my father has engaged as a kind of librarian, and whom he patronizes, I believe, to show his defiance of the world's opinion.
• 2

  To be a customer of (an establishment), especially a regular customer.

  • "A chearful glaſs, then," ſaid Sir Sedley, "you think horridly intolerable?" […] "Well, the glaſs is not what I patroniſe," ſaid Sir Theophilus; "it hips me ſo conſumedly the next day; no, I can't patroniſe the glaſs." / "Not patroniſe wine?" cried Lord Newford; "O hang it! O curſe it! that's too bad, Offy![…]"
  • Mr John Puffingham was a patron—a patron to the diversified layers and strata of men and things pertaining to sublunary matters. He patronised his hatter, who, once a year, smoothed a cheap-and-shabby for his bald and shining brow. He patronised his tailor in the neighbourhood of the Minories. He patronised his washerwoman, his dustman—a pawnbroker he once patronised when an unexpected call was made upon his exhausted exchequer.
• 3

  To treat condescendingly; to talk down to.

  • Near-synonyms: condescend, infantilize, denigrate
  • "Yes, she was inclined to patronise you, I thought." / "I don't think she meant to patronise me in particular, it's the sort of manner that comes to women when they find themselves married, especially if they have had aspirations after that state for some time.[…]"
• 4

  obsoleteTo blame, to reproach.

  • This leads us to conſider how a good, and underſtanding Perſon ought to behave himſelf, when the Caſe happens, that ſome things are preſcribed in a Church which he himſelf thinks lawful, but others pretend they do not; […] whether it is his Duty to inveigh againſt the Governours of this Church, and add life and ſtrength to the unreaſonable ſcruples of others; to patronize thoſe who ſeparate upon groundleſs prejudices, and with groſs uncharitableneſs, or to plead againſt their unreaſonable and diſorderly practices; […]