patronizing

patronizing
patronize pat‧ron‧ize [ˈpætrənaɪz ǁ ˈpeɪ-, ˈpæ-] also patronise verb [transitive]
1. COMMERCE to use or visit a particular shop, restaurant, hotel etc:

• Many homosexuals patronize gay-owned companies simply because they feel more comfortable there.

2. to speak to someone in a way that suggests that they are not as intelligent as you:

• The agency has a reputation for patronizing clients who don't agree with its creative ideas.

3. to support or give money to an organization or activity:

• The State patronizes the arts by designating ten thousand Kuwaiti Dinars annually for the selection and purchase of paintings by Kuwaiti artists.

— patronizing also patronising adjective :

• It's patronizing not to expect women to fulfill a contract just because they have childcare responsibilities.

* * *

patronizing UK US (UK also patronising) /ˈpætrənaɪzɪŋ/ US  /ˈpeɪtrənaɪzɪŋ/ adjective
► treating someone as if they are stupid or not important: patronizing to sb »

Of those that had seen the commercial, 26% found it patronizing to women and 17% patronizing to men.

 »

a patronizing attitude/tone


Financial and business terms. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Patronizing — Pa tron*i zing, a. Showing condescending favor; assuming the manner of airs of a superior toward another. {Pat ron*i zing*ly}, adv. Thackeray. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patronizing — index inflated (vain), orgulous, proud (conceited), supercilious Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • patronizing — 1727, from PATRONIZE (Cf. patronize). Related: Patronizingly …   Etymology dictionary

  • patronizing — (Amer.) pa·tron·iz·ing || peɪtrÉ™naɪzɪŋ / pæt adj. arrogant, condescending, showing an aggressively superior manner (also patronising) patronize (Amer.) pa·tron·ize || peɪtrÉ™naɪz / pæt v. be arrogant, behave in a condescending… …   English contemporary dictionary

  • patronizing — pat|ro|niz|ing [ˈpætrənaızıŋ US ˈpeı , ˈpæ ] adj someone who is patronizing talks to you in a way that shows they think you are less intelligent or important than them ▪ a patronizing attitude ▪ a patronizing tone ▪ I don t mean to sound… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • patronizing — (BrE also ising) adj. VERBS ▪ be, sound ▪ become ▪ find sb/sth ▪ I found his tone rather patronizing. ADVERB …   Collocations dictionary

  • patronizing — adjective someone who is patronizing talks to you as if they think you are less intelligent or important than them: Try not to sound so patronizing when you talk to the students. | a patronizing attitude patronizingly adverb …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • patronizing — [[t]pæ̱trənaɪzɪŋ, AM pe͟ɪt [/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If someone is patronizing, they speak or behave towards you in a way that seems friendly, but which shows that they think they are superior to you. The tone of the interview was… …   English dictionary

  • Patronizing — Patronize Pa tron*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Patronized}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Patronizing}.] 1. To act as patron toward; to support; to countenance; to favor; to aid. [1913 Webster] The idea has been patronized by two States only. A. Hamilton. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patronizing — patronizingly, adv. /pay treuh nuy zing, pa /, adj. displaying or indicative of an offensively condescending manner: a patronizing greeting, accompanied by a gentle pat on the pack. [1720 30; PATRONIZE + ING2] * * * …   Universalium

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