patronize
Other forms: patronized; patronizing; patronizes
If you patronize a business, you shop there regularly. But if someone patronizes you, it's not so pleasant — they talk to you as if you were inferior or not very intelligent.
Patronize comes from Latin patronus "protector, master," related to pater "father." So if you patronize a person, you talk down to them like a father might do to his child or a master to his apprentice. If you want to take an advanced class and your advisor warns you of all the hard work, you can tell him to stop patronizing you — you know a hard class involves hard work. This sounds much better than saying, "I'm not stupid!"
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assume sponsorship of
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be a regular customer or client of
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do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of
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treat condescendinglysynonyms: condescend, patronise
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Vocabulary lists containing patronize
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Set in Mississippi during the Great Depression, this classic novel follows Cassie Logan and her family as they face prejudice and economic hardship.
