Modifies a noun

• capitalism: George Bush seems to confuse the concept of democracy with crony capitalism.

Converse of object

• appoint: One scheme involved hiring attorneys to represent children during divorce, a practice generally regarded as a pretext to appoint cronies of the judge.

Preposition: on

• council: They have rigged local funding to take resources from away from good councils, and shifted it to their cronies on badly-run councils.

Adjective modifier

• old: The two old cronies held together a long discourse of which, most likely, I was the subject.

• political: A message to the doubtless, well-stuffed, John Hutton and his political cronies.

• corrupt: Completely nothing for the benefit of Zimbabwe except his enjoying together with his young wife and corrupt cronies.

• other: He evidently considered this a hilarious sally and he guffawed loudly, as did the prosecutor, rapporteur and various other cronies.

• rich: He must have some rich cronies who are prepared to fork out loads for a giggle.

• new: Doreen picks on Lynn for the benefit of her two new cronies, calling her ' Wonky ' Warner.

Noun used with modifier

• business: Sure we could change but Bush and all of his business cronies won't let any money or resources go to the poor.

Preposition: in

• charge: No wonder New Labor have so mismanaged the NHS; they have put their cronies in charge.

Preposition: of

• mine: But after visiting a number of local clubs I decided to stick with diving with a few regular cronies of mine.