sponsor

sponsor

I

spon‧sor¹ /ˈspɒnsə $ ˈspɑːnsər/ noun [countable]1.
  a. a person or company that pays for a show, broadcast, sports event etc, especially in exchange for the right to advertise at that event
    sponsor of
    Eastman Kodak is a major sponsor of the Olympics.
    corporate sponsors
  b. a person or company that supports someone by paying for their training, education, living costs etc
2. someone who agrees to give someone else money for a charity if they walk, run etc a particular distance
3. someone who officially introduces or supports a proposal for a new law
4. someone who officially agrees to help someone else, or to be responsible for what they do:
    You cannot get a work visa without an American sponsor.
5. a godparent

II

sponsor² verb [transitive]
1.
  a. to give money to a sports event, theatre, institution etc, especially in exchange for the right to advertise:
    The competition was sponsored by British Airways.
    government-sponsored projects
  b. to support someone by paying for their training, education, living costs etc:
    The bank had offered to sponsor him at university.
2. to officially support a proposal for a new law
3. to agree to help someone or be responsible for what they do
4. to agree to give someone money for charity if they walk, run etc a particular distance
5. sponsored walk/swim etc British English an event in which many people walk, swim etc a particular distance so that people will give them money for a charity
6. UN-sponsored/US-sponsored/government-sponsored etc supported and encouraged by the UN, the US etc:
    US-sponsored peace talks