From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Patronize \Pa"tron*ize\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Patronized}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Patronizing}.]
1. To act as patron toward; to support; to countenance; to favor; to aid.
The idea has been patronized by two States only. --A. Hamilton.
2. To trade with customarily; to frequent as a customer. [Commercial Cant]
3. To assume the air of a patron, or of a superior and protector, toward; -- used in an unfavorable sense; as, to patronize one's equals.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Patronizing \Pa"tron*i'zing\, adjective Showing condescending favor; assuming the manner of airs of a superior toward another. -- {Pat"ron*i'zing*ly}, adverb --Thackeray.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension [syn: {arch}, {condescending}, {patronising}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
56 Moby Thesaurus words for "patronizing": Olympian detachment, Olympian loftiness, arrogance, arrogant, arrogantness, assumption of superiority, big, condescendence, condescending, condescension, domineering, domineeringness, haughtiness, haughty, haughty airs, hauteur, high horse, high-faluting, high-flown, high-hat, high-headed, high-nosed, hoity-toitiness, hoity-toity, loftiness, lofty, overbearing, overbearing pride, overbearingness, overweening pride, patronization, patronizing attitude, pride, priggish, proud, proudness, purse-pride, purse-proud, side, sniffy, snippy, snobbish, snobby, snooty, snotty, stiff-necked pride, stuck-up, superbia, superior, toploftiness, toplofty, uppish, uppishness, uppity, uppityness, upstage
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