license
1 of 2noun
li·cense ˈlī-sᵊn(t)s 
variants or licence
1
a
: permission to act
b
: freedom of action
2
a
: a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful
a hunting license
b
: a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted
c
: a grant by the holder of a copyright or patent to another of any of the rights embodied in the copyright or patent short of an assignment of all rights
3
a
: freedom that allows or is used with irresponsibility
Freedom of the press should not be turned into license.
b
: disregard for standards of personal conduct : licentiousness
4
: deviation from fact, form, or rule by an artist or writer for the sake of the effect gained
poetic license
license
2 of 2verb
variants or less commonly licence
licensed also licenced; licensing also licencing
transitive verb
1
a
: to issue a license to
b
: to permit or authorize especially by formal license
2
: to give permission or consent to : allow
licensable
ˈlī-sᵊn(t)-sə-bəl
adjective licensor
ˈlī-sᵊn(t)-sər
noun ˌli-sᵊn-ˈsȯr
or less commonly licenser
ˈlī-sᵊn(t)-sər
Did you know?
The Shared Roots of License and Licentious
License and licentious come ultimately from the same word in Latin, licentia, whose meanings ranged from "freedom to act" to "unruly behavior, wantonness." The Latin noun was itself derived from the verb licere "to be permitted." Though we are likely to associate license with the card that grants freedom or permission to operate a motor vehicle and licentious with sexual wantonness, in actuality, there is considerable semantic overlap between the two words. Poetic license refers to deviation from a (usually) literary norm for some purposeful effect. A person who takes license with something (or someone) engages in "abusive disregard for rules of personal conduct." Hence, the semantic range of license in English mirrors that of its Latin antecedent, suggesting either permission or transgression, depending upon the context. Licentious, on the other hand, always implies excessive, transgressive freedom, as is true of its immediate Latin source, licentiosus "unrestrained, wanton" (literally, "full of freedom").
Synonyms
Noun
- allowance
- authorization
- clearance
- concurrence
- consent
- granting
- green light
- leave
- permission
- sanction
- sufferance
- warrant
Verb
- accredit
- authorize
- certify
- charter [British]
- commission
- empower
- enable
- invest
- qualify
- vest
- warrant
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The restaurant's owner applied for a license to sell liquor. His job as a reporter gives him license to go anywhere and ask anything. Verb The restaurant has now been licensed to sell liquor. a new drug licensed by the government The company licensed its name to others.
Recent Examples on the Web
Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2022 Marisol Garcia, 43, of the 2800 block of South 12th Avenue, Bridgeview, on Sept. 3 was charged with driving without a license, operating an uninsured vehicle and speeding in the 7200 block of West Forest Preserve Drive, police said. Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 That driver’s license, made possible by DACA, gave me the freedom to range — to head across town for dinner or take a spur-of-the-moment road trip. Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 Matt built a landscaping and tree removal company but was also getting in trouble — often DUIs or driving without a license or violating probation, his family said. Andrew Selsky And Leah Willingham, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 He was arrested once more in January 2022 for operating a vehicle without a license and driving in the wrong lane. Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant, 1 Sep. 2022 Matt built a landscaping and tree removal company but was also getting in trouble — often DUIs or driving without a license. Andrew Selsky, Leah Willingham, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Sep. 2022 Hackworth pleaded not guilty to four federal charges – one count of dealing in firearms without a license and three counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm – filed against him. Chris Hacker, Stephen Stock, CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 His driver’s license will be suspended for four to six months in Kentucky. Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2022 Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 21 July 2022 Davie said the broadcaster would never show the Diana interview again or license it to other broadcasters. Sylvia Hui, USA TODAY, 21 July 2022 Some insurers will only reimburse wilderness providers that are licensed as residential treatment facilities, but not all states license them that way, DeBofsky said. Tara Bannow, STAT, 18 July 2022 Maurer, however, isn’t interested in large-scale manufacturing, and would rather perfect the technology and license it out. Lucas Daprile, cleveland, 12 July 2022 But their former production company had some claim to the rights for Black Mirror, and yet another deal had to be created to license them to Netflix. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 27 Apr. 2022 The exec also revealed his strategy with Avatar and iCarly was to license them to third-party outlets (like Netflix) to expose them to wider audiences before taking them back as exclusives. Rachel Yang, EW.com, 15 July 2021 The decision to pursue audiobooks is interesting, especially given the fact that the company is starting out with public domain works, meaning Spotify doesn’t have to pay to license them. Ashley Carman, The Verge, 25 Jan. 2021 The contract granted Triller royalty-free, worldwide, transferrable rights to license and use of an influencer’s name, image, likeness, voice, and audiovisual on all Triller channels. Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 3 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
The federal government would ban the companies from selling chipmaking equipment in China without a license from the Commerce Department. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2022 Marisol Garcia, 43, of the 2800 block of South 12th Avenue, Bridgeview, on Sept. 3 was charged with driving without a license, operating an uninsured vehicle and speeding in the 7200 block of West Forest Preserve Drive, police said. Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2022 That driver’s license, made possible by DACA, gave me the freedom to range — to head across town for dinner or take a spur-of-the-moment road trip. Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 Matt built a landscaping and tree removal company but was also getting in trouble — often DUIs or driving without a license or violating probation, his family said. Andrew Selsky And Leah Willingham, ajc, 1 Sep. 2022 He was arrested once more in January 2022 for operating a vehicle without a license and driving in the wrong lane. Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant, 1 Sep. 2022 Matt built a landscaping and tree removal company but was also getting in trouble — often DUIs or driving without a license. Andrew Selsky, Leah Willingham, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Sep. 2022 Hackworth pleaded not guilty to four federal charges – one count of dealing in firearms without a license and three counts of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm – filed against him. Chris Hacker, Stephen Stock, CBS News, 30 Aug. 2022 His driver’s license will be suspended for four to six months in Kentucky. Brett Dawson, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2022 Verb
And now it is set to be taken off the airways for good as the BBC has pledged never to show it again or license it to other broadcasters. Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 21 July 2022 Davie said the broadcaster would never show the Diana interview again or license it to other broadcasters. Sylvia Hui, USA TODAY, 21 July 2022 Some insurers will only reimburse wilderness providers that are licensed as residential treatment facilities, but not all states license them that way, DeBofsky said. Tara Bannow, STAT, 18 July 2022 Maurer, however, isn’t interested in large-scale manufacturing, and would rather perfect the technology and license it out. Lucas Daprile, cleveland, 12 July 2022 But their former production company had some claim to the rights for Black Mirror, and yet another deal had to be created to license them to Netflix. Aimée Lutkin, ELLE, 27 Apr. 2022 The exec also revealed his strategy with Avatar and iCarly was to license them to third-party outlets (like Netflix) to expose them to wider audiences before taking them back as exclusives. Rachel Yang, EW.com, 15 July 2021 The decision to pursue audiobooks is interesting, especially given the fact that the company is starting out with public domain works, meaning Spotify doesn’t have to pay to license them. Ashley Carman, The Verge, 25 Jan. 2021 The contract granted Triller royalty-free, worldwide, transferrable rights to license and use of an influencer’s name, image, likeness, voice, and audiovisual on all Triller channels. Taylor Lorenz, Washington Post, 3 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French licence, from Latin licentia, from licent-, licens, present participle of licēre to be permitted
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing license
Kids Definition
license 1 of 2
noun
li·cense
variants or licence
ˈlī-sᵊns
1
: permission to do something granted especially by qualified authority
a license to sell food
2
: a paper, card, or tag showing legal permission
a driver's license
3
: freedom of action that is carried too far
Bitterly did she repent the license she had given her imagination. Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gableslicense
2 of 2verb
variants also licence
licensed also licenced; licensing also licencing
: to grant formal permission
Medical Definition
license
noun
li·cense
variants or chiefly British licence
ˈlīs-ᵊn(t)s
: a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful
a license to practice medicine
Legal Definition
license 1 of 2
noun
li·cense
ˈlīs-ᵊns
1
a
: a right or permission granted by a competent authority (as of a government or a business) to engage in some business or occupation, do some act, or engage in some transaction which would be unlawful without such right or permission
also : a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted
b
: revocable authority or permission given solely to one having no possessory rights in a tract of land to do something on that land which would otherwise be unlawful or a trespass compare easement, lease
c
: a grant by the holder of a copyright or patent to another of any of the rights embodied in the copyright or patent short of an assignment of all rights
2
: a defense (as to trespass) that one's act was in accordance with a license granted
3
a
: freedom that allows or is used with irresponsibility
b
: disregard for standards of personal conduct : licentiousness
license
2 of 2transitive verb
licensed; licensing
1
: to issue a license to
2
: to permit or authorize by a license
license 1 of 2
noun
variants or licence
1
as in permission
the approval by someone in authority for the doing of something the company is seeking license to operate several more power plants in the state Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- permission
- authorization
- granting
- permit
- consent
- sanction
- warrant
- grant
- clearance
- allowance
- certification
- green light
- accreditation
- agreement
- leave
- signature
- sufferance
- concurrence
- seal
- patent
- stamp
- pass
- liberty
- concession
- imprimatur
- acceptance
- toleration
- tolerance
- acquiescence
- assent
- okay
- OK
- accord
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prohibition
- revocation
- refusal
- denial
- rejection
- injunction
- veto
- suppression
- interdiction
- proscription
- exclusion
- ban
- repression
- deterrence
- embargo
- taboo
- tabu
- discouragement
2
as in delegation
the granting of power to perform various acts or duties a restaurant owner has to get a license to serve food and drink Synonyms & Similar Words
- delegation
- promotion
- commission
- accreditation
- mandate
- authorization
- empowerment
- directing
- facilitation
- commanding
- consignment
- entrustment
- fostering
- ordering
- commendation
3
as in authorization
the right to act or move freely military commanders on the ground must be granted considerable license, as wars cannot be micromanaged by people back in Washington Synonyms & Similar Words
- authorization
- freedom
- latitude
- power
- mandate
- authority
- free hand
- run
- control
- dominion
- command
- mastery
- sway
- clutch
- room
- space
- grip
- hold
- carte blanche
- range
- blank check
license
2 of 2verb
variants also licence
as in to enable
to give official or legal power to a state statute licenses county sheriffs to choose their own deputies Synonyms & Similar Words
- enable
- permit
- authorize
- commission
- warrant
- charter
- qualify
- vest
- certify
- accredit
- sanction
- empower
- credential
- allow
- approve
- invest
- endorse
- install
- validate
- privilege
- confirm
- affirm
- instate
- initiate
- okay
- let
- entitle
- indorse
- inaugurate
- clear
- OK
- swear in
- induct
- enfranchise
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disqualify
- ban
- deny
- exclude
- prevent
- bar
- stop
- block
- hold back
- discourage
- inhibit
- disallow
- hinder
- prohibit
- veto
- impede
- constrain
- forbid
- obstruct
- outlaw
- shut out
- disbar
- enjoin
- proscribe
- disenfranchise
- disfranchise
- interdict
Synonym Chooser
The words freedom and liberty are common synonyms of license. While all three words mean "the power or condition of acting without compulsion," license implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom.
freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license
Although the words freedom and license have much in common, freedom has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated.
freedom of the press
The synonyms liberty and license are sometimes interchangeable, but liberty suggests release from former restraint or compulsion.
the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty
- on the television
- on the telly
- on the threshold
- on the tiles
- on the tip of one's tongue
- on the town
- on the trot
- on the turn
- on the understanding that
- on the up
- on the up and up
- on the upside
- on the upswing
- on the verge of
- on the wagon
- on the wane
- on the warpath
- on the watch for
- on the water wagon
- on the way
- on the way out
- on the whole
- on the wind
- on the wing
- on the wrong side of