1. (n.) One who protects, supports, or countenances; a defender.

2. (n.) A master who had freed his slave, but still retained some paternal rights over him.

3. (n.) A man of distinction under whose protection another person placed himself.

4. (n.) An advocate or pleader.

5. (n.) One who encourages or helps a person, a cause, or a work; a furtherer; a promoter; as, a patron of art.

6. (n.) One who has gift and disposition of a benefice.

7. (n.) A guardian saint. -- called also patron saint.

8. (n.) See Padrone, 2.

9. (v. t.) To be a patron of; to patronize; to favor.

10. (a.) Doing the duty of a patron; giving aid or protection; tutelary.

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