the support, especially financial, that is given to a person or an organization by a patron 资助；赞助 the system by which an important person gives help or a job to somebody in return for their support （掌权者给予提挈以换取支持的）互惠互利 Recruits are selected on merit, not through political patronage. 新成员是择优而不是通过政治任命选出来的。
- (especially North American English)
the support that a person gives a shop, restaurant, etc. by spending money there 惠顾；光顾
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, from patron ‘protector, advocate’, from Latin patronus ‘protector of clients, defender’, from pater, patr- ‘father’.