franchise
/ˈfran(t)ʃʌɪz
/noun
1An authorization granted by a government or company to an individual or group enabling them to carry out specified commercial activities, for example acting as an agent for a company’s products: Toyota granted the group a franchise [mass noun]: lagers brewed under franchise [as modifier]: franchise holders...
- Finally, they found individuals interested in purchasing franchises.
- These figures refer to cars that were imported by the official franchise holders.
- We are at an advanced stage of negotiations with a large number of individuals about possible franchises.
Synonyms
warrant, charter, licence, permit, authorization, permission, sanction;
concession, privilege, prerogative;
seal of approval
1.1A business or service given a franchise to operate: fast-food franchises dot the roadside...
- The estate agency's nationwide branch franchise and growing financial services division would be attractive to the bank.
- However, the three companies operate as franchises with two-year contracts from the city and are heavily subsidized by the state and the city.
- The issue is significant because all the private lines operate as franchises with two-year contracts with the city.
1.2A general title or concept used for creating or marketing a series of products, typically films or television shows: the Harry Potter franchise...
- Games franchises often run to more than 10 titles, whereas five is usually the maximum for a hit movie.
- Neither Carlton or Granada seem overly attractive as a route into digital TV at the moment, especially with the main ITV franchises in their biggest slump for many years.
1.3North American An authorization given by a league to own a sports team: the two cities will be awarded franchises as the teams join the National League...
- In December, Robert L. Johnson became the first black principal owner of a major pro sports team when he was awarded an expansion franchise in Charlotte.
- Today is the deadline for South African regions to submit their bids to be awarded a franchise to take part in the new, expanded competition.
- He therefore feels that the franchise should not be awarded to Eastern Province until the audit's details have been made public.
1.4North American informal A professional sports team.Sixteen of the 29 NBA franchises are granted invitations to the play-off party, so you only need to win half your games to make it....
- Relegated to play for some of the league's lowliest franchises over his career, all he has asked for is a chance.
- There is only one major league franchise that can field a complete team of Gold Glove award winners since the award was started in 1957.
1.5 (also franchise player) North American informal A star player in a team.He knows that rarely - if ever - can a team trade a franchise player and improve....
- The team made Lewis its franchise player and hopes to re-sign him to a long-term deal.
- But they're untested, and a team usually can't win without its franchise player.
2 [mass noun] (usually the franchise) The right to vote in public elections: the franchise was limited to Estonian citizens the election by universal franchise of a constituent assembly...
- But, of course, the real test of that will only come in a little over two years time when we will all be off to the polling stations to exercise the franchise in another general election.
- Only one in five young voters exercised their franchise in the last elections.
- Most of them expressed their desire to stay back in their hometowns till the elections and exercise their franchise.
2.1The rights of citizenship: the bishop’s authority was deployed to extend the franchise of civilized Christian living...
- The narrower meaning is that one gets kicked out of the voting club, that is, you lose your franchise as a citizen, especially the right to vote.
- Many believe that this is an abusive relationship with our franchise as citizens, and that major issues of state should be settled by popular referendum.
- They should be treated as traitors of the government and deprived of their franchise as citizens.
Synonyms
suffrage, the vote, the right to vote, voting rights, enfranchisement;
a voice, one's say
verb [with object]
1Grant a franchise to (an individual or group): (as adjective franchised) a franchised dealer...
- Another 24 petroleum dealers who are franchised by several of the other marketing companies are part of the consortium, but others could join, Observer sources say.
- Established franchised dealers have been falling by the wayside for the past few months, and more will certainly follow.
- Previously, MG Rover had reimbursed franchised dealers for the cost of any repairs carried out for a period of up to three years after a new car was sold.
1.1Grant a franchise for the sale of (goods) or the operation of (a service): all the catering was franchised out...
- During 1995-7 all passenger services were franchised to private sector operators, while all other companies were sold outright to the private sector.
- The management of hospitals that fail to perform to the required standard, almost guaranteed in such a cash strapped service, will be franchised to the private sector.
- Between 1991 and 1997 more than 400 high street post offices were franchised to retailers, including supermarkets and department stores.
Derivatives
franchiser
/ (also franchisor) noun ...- ‘The ability of franchisors to attract potential franchisees to invest in their systems depends crucially on their own reputation and upon the reputation of franchising in general,’ he said.
- Not all franchisors welcome passive investors.
- Too many franchisors are able to abuse their market power and contractual obligations without any effective sanction under the current law.
Origin
Middle English (denoting a grant of legal immunity): from Old French, based on franc, franche 'free' (see frank1). sense 2 of the noun dates from the late 18th century and sense 1 of the noun from the 20th century.