different between patronize vs dignify

English

Etymology

From patron +? -ize (verb ending); or from Old French patroniser, from Medieval Latin patronis?re (“to lead a galley as patron”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?pæt??na?z/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?pe?t??na?z/, /?pæt??na?z/
• Hyphenation: pa?tron?ize

Verb

patronize (third-person singular simple present patronizes, present participle patronizing, simple past and past participle patronized)

1. (transitive) To act as a patron of; to defend, protect, or support.

   Synonyms: (obsolete) enpatron, (obsolete) patrocinate
2. (transitive) To make oneself a customer of a business, especially a regular customer.
3. (transitive) To assume a tone of unjustified superiority toward; to talk down to, to treat condescendingly.

   Synonyms: condescend, infantilize
4. (transitive, obsolete) To blame, to reproach.

Alternative forms

• patronise (Commonwealth)

Coordinate terms

• matronize

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

• prazitone

English

Etymology

From Old French dignifier, from Late Latin dignificare, from dignus (“worthy”) + ficare (in comp.), facere (“to make”). See deign and fact.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d??n?fa?/

Verb

dignify (third-person singular simple present dignifies, present participle dignifying, simple past and past participle dignified)

1. (transitive) To invest with dignity or honour.
   • 1616, Ben Jonson, Inviting A Friend To Supper

     Your worth will dignify our feast.

2. (transitive) To give distinction to.
3. (transitive) To exalt in rank.
4. (transitive, chiefly in the negative) To treat as worthy or acceptable; to indulge or condone by acknowledging.

   I will not dignify that comment with a response.

Synonyms

• exalt
• elevate
• prefer
• advance
• honor
• illustrate
• adorn
• ennoble

Antonyms

• demean
• humiliate
• mortify
• shame

Related terms

• dignity
• dignification
• dignified

Translations