The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - patronage n.

1) sponsorship, support, backing, promotion, encouragement, boosting, aid, help, sympathy, financing, auspices, protection, guardianship, aegis: The exhibition was organized with the duke's patronage. 2) trade, business, custom, trading, traffic: The shop could never succeed with our patronage. 3) condescension, disdain, scorn, contempt, contumely, superiority, patronizing, stooping, deigning, humiliation: There is an air of patronage about him when he finally does allow me a visit. 4) favouritism, partiality, preference, bias, nepotism, political patronage, granting of indulgences, US spoils (system) : Politicians have always used patronage to reward support.