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.

Pa"tron*age, v. t. To act as a patron of; to maintain; to defend. [Obs.] Shak.

• the act of providing approval and support; "his vigorous backing of the conservatives got him in trouble with progressives"
  
• customers collectively; "they have an upper class clientele"
  
• a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient
  
• (politics) granting favours or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support
  
• the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers: "even before noon there was a considerable patronage"
  
• support by being a patron of
  
• be a regular customer or client of; "We patronize this store"; "Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could"