"sponsor" in the noun sense
1. patron, sponsor, supporter
someone who supports or champions something
2. presenter, sponsor
an advocate who presents a person (as for an award or a degree or an introduction etc.)
"sponsor" in the verb sense
1. sponsor, patronize, patronise
assume sponsorship of
2. sponsor
assume responsibility for or leadership of
"The senator announced that he would sponsor the health care plan"
3. patronize, patronise, shop, shop at, buy at, frequent, sponsor
do one's shopping at do business with be a customer or client of
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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