From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Sponsor \Spon"sor\ (-s[~e]r), noun [L., from spondere, sponsum, to engage one's self. See {Spouse}.]
1. One who binds himself to answer for another, and is responsible for his default; a surety.
2. One who at the baptism of an infant professes the Christian faith in its name, and guarantees its religious education; a godfather or godmother.
3. A person who vouches for another as fit for some post or task; as, one needs two sponsors to be considered for membership. [PJC]
4. A person or group that assumes financial responsibility for some activity, and may or may not participate in its organization and execution. [PJC]
5. A person or organization, usually a commercial organization, which pays the cost of an activity, such as a radio or television broadcast, and in return is given the right to advertise itself or its products as part of the activity; as, now a word from our sponsor. [PJC]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: someone who supports or champions something [syn: {patron}, {supporter}]
2: an advocate who presents a person (as for an award or a degree or an introduction etc.) [syn: {presenter}]
verb
1: assume sponsorship of [syn: {patronize}, {patronise}]
2: assume responsibility for or leadership of; "The senator announced that he would sponsor the health care plan"
3: do one's shopping at; do business with; be a customer or client of [syn: {patronize}, {patronise}, {shop}, {shop at}, {buy at}, {frequent}] [ant: {boycott}, {boycott}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
98 Moby Thesaurus words for "sponsor": Maecenas, abettor, accept the responsibility, admirer, advocate, aficionado, angel, answer for, apologist, assure, attest, back, backer, bailsman, bankroll, be sponsor for, benefactor, bond, bondsman, buff, capitalize, certify, champion, confirm, countersecure, defender, dependence, encourager, endorse, endorser, ensure, exponent, fan, favorer, finance, financer, friend at court, fund, funder, godfather, godparent, grubstake, grubstaker, guarantee, guarantor, guaranty, insure, insurer, lover, mainpernor, mainstay, maintainer, meal ticket, mortgagor, paranymph, partisan, patron, patronize, pay for, promote, promoter, protagonist, provide for, refinance, reliance, second, seconder, sectary, secure, set up, sider, sign, sign for, stake, staker, stalwart, stand behind, stand sponsor for, stand up for, standby, subscribe to, subsidize, subsidizer, support, supporter, surety, sustainer, sympathizer, take the blame, take up, undersign, underwrite, underwriter, upholder, votary, warrant, warrantor, well-wisher
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