[As an early word, a. late L. advocātōr, n. of agent f. advocāre to call to, but used by eccl. writers as = cl. L. advocātus, from the active function of the advocātus or helper ‘called in,’ as a pleader or ‘caller for’ justice or mercy. In mod. use f. ADVOCATE v.]
† 1. An intercessor, patron (saint); = ADVOCATE sb. 1, 2. Obs.
1482. Revel. Monk of Evesham (1869), 52. My moste meke and dere aduocatour seynt Nicholas to whome y called.
2. One who advocates, or publicly stands up for; = ADVOCATE sb. 3.
1845. Browning, Soul’s Trag., II. Wks. 1863, II. 458. The advocators of change in the present system of things.
