patronize

CEFRB2

/ˈpeɪtɹənaɪz/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To treat someone as less intelligent or important than you.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To assume a tone of unjustified superiority toward; to talk down to, to treat condescendingly.

Examples

  • Don't patronize me under the guise of concern.

  • You don't have to patronize me.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈpætɹənaɪz/
  • /ˈpætɹənɑez/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To make oneself a customer of a business, especially a regular customer.

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

  3. To blame, to reproach.

More examples

In context

  • You don't need to patronize me.

  • 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."

  • Of course, [Jack] Nicholson patronises him [co-star Morgan Freeman], much as a hare might a tortoise, except that hares can't arch an eyebrow and smirk.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

I hate it when adults blank me by speaking in a baby voice.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From patron + -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronizāre (“to lead a galley as patron”). Piecewise doublet of patternize.