Help center

licence

[ˈlaɪsns]

licence Definition

  • 1a permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade (especially in alcoholic beverages)
  • 2the freedom to behave as one wishes, especially in a way that results in excessive or unacceptable behavior

Using licence: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "licence" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    He applied for a driving licence.

  • Example

    The bar was shut down for serving alcohol without a licence.

  • Example

    She has a licence to practice law in three states.

  • Example

    The company has a licence to operate in the city.

licence Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for licence

Idioms Using licence

  • take out a licence on something

    to obtain permission or legal rights to use or own something

    Example

    They decided to take out a licence on the software to protect their intellectual property.

  • give someone licence to do something

    to give someone permission or freedom to do something, often with negative consequences

    Example

    His parents gave him too much licence to do what he wanted, and now he's in trouble with the law.

  • licence to print money

    a business or activity that generates large profits with little effort or investment

    Example

    The company's new product is a licence to print money, with sales skyrocketing within the first month.

Phrases with licence

  • marriage licence

    a legal document that authorizes a couple to get married

    Example

    They had to wait for their marriage licence to be approved before they could get married.

  • TV licence

    a payment made to the government to allow someone to watch television broadcasts

    Example

    You need to pay for a TV licence if you want to watch live television.

  • driving licence

    a legal document that authorizes someone to drive a vehicle

    Example

    You need to have a valid driving licence to operate a car on public roads.

Origins of licence

from Old French 'licence', from Latin 'licentia', meaning 'freedom'

📌

Summary: licence in Brief

The term 'licence' [ˈlaɪsns] refers to a permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade. It can also mean the freedom to behave as one wishes, especially in a way that results in excessive or unacceptable behavior. Examples include driving licence, marriage licence, and TV licence. Idioms like 'give someone licence to do something' and 'licence to print money' denote permission or freedom with negative consequences and high profits, respectively.