li·cense
(l
s
ns)
KEY
NOUN:
-
- Official or legal permission to do or own a specified thing. See Synonyms at permission.
- A document, plate, or tag that is issued as proof of official or legal permission:
a driver's license.
- Deviation from normal rules, practices, or methods in order to achieve a certain end or effect.
- Latitude of action, especially in behavior or speech. See Synonyms at freedom.
-
- Lack of due restraint; excessive freedom:
"When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near"
(Will Durant).
- Heedlessness for the precepts of proper behavior; licentiousness.
TRANSITIVE VERB:
li·censed
,
li·cens·ing
,
li·cens·es
- To give or yield permission to or for.
- To grant a license to or for; authorize. See Synonyms at authorize.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English
licence, from Old French, from Medieval Latin
licentia,
authorization, from Latin,
freedom, from
lic
ns
, licent- present participle of
licre,
to be permitted
OTHER FORMS:
licens·a·ble
(Adjective),
licens·er
or
li
cen·sor
(-s
n-sôr
)
KEY
(Noun)
