From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Patron \Pa"tron\, n. [F., fr. L. patronus, fr. pater a father.
See {Paternal}, and cf. {Patroon}, {Padrone}, {Pattern}.]
1. One who protects, supports, or countenances; a defender.
"Patron of my life and liberty." --Shak. "The patron of
true holiness." --Spenser.
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2. (Rom. Antiq.)
(a) A master who had freed his slave, but still retained
some paternal rights over him.
(b) A man of distinction under whose protection another
person placed himself.
(c) An advocate or pleader.
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Let him who works the client wrong
Beware the patron's ire. --Macaulay.
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3. One who encourages or helps a person, a cause, or a work;
a furtherer; a promoter; as, a patron of art.
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4. (Eccl. Law) One who has gift and disposition of a
benefice. [Eng.]
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5. A guardian saint. -- called also {patron saint}.
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6. (Naut.) See {Padrone}, 2.
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{Patrons of Husbandry}, the grangers. See {Granger}, 2.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Patron \Pa"tron\, a.
Doing the duty of a patron; giving aid or protection;
tutelary. --Dryden.
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{Patron saint} (R. C. Ch.), a saint regarded as the peculiar
protector of a country, community, church, profession,
etc., or of an individual.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
patron saint
n 1: a saint who is considered to be a defender of some group or
nation
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