the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care for, protect, or have charge of [verb (transitive)] > as divinity, angel, or saint (2)
transitive. To give patronage to; to uphold, protect, or defend; to patronize.
transitive. To watch over as a guardian or protecting god. Cf. patron, n. 2b. Obsolete. rare.