license

verb

/ˈlaɪsns/

(also British English, less frequent licence)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they license	/ˈlaɪsns/ /ˈlaɪsns/
he / she / it licenses	/ˈlaɪsnsɪz/ /ˈlaɪsnsɪz/
past simple licensed	/ˈlaɪsnst/ /ˈlaɪsnst/
past participle licensed	/ˈlaɪsnst/ /ˈlaɪsnst/
-ing form licensing	/ˈlaɪsnsɪŋ/ /ˈlaɪsnsɪŋ/

jump to other results

noun

/ˈlaɪsns/

(North American English)

(British English licence)

Idioms

jump to other results

[countable] an official document that shows that permission has been given to do, own or use something
- Applicants must hold a valid driver's license.
- to get/obtain/have a license
- to grant/issue a license
- James lost his license for six months (= had his license taken away by the police as a punishment).
- Her license was revoked by the court.
- license for something a license for the software
- license to do something You need a license to fish in this river.
- without a license He was caught driving a car without a license.
- Is there a license fee?
- a license holder (= a person who has been given a license)
- a license agreement
see also driver’s license
Wordfinder
- accelerate
- brake
- car
- commute
- driving
- licence
- motorist
- road
- road tax
- traffic
[uncountable, singular] license (to do something) (formal) freedom to do or say whatever you want, often something bad or unacceptable
- Lack of punishment seems to give youngsters license to break the law.
[uncountable] (formal) freedom to behave in a way that is not considered sexually moral

Word Originlate Middle English: from licence. The spelling -se arose by analogy with pairs such as practice, practise.

Idioms

artistic/poetic license

the freedom of artists or writers to change facts in order to make a story, painting, etc. more interesting or beautiful

a license to print money

(disapproving) used to describe a business that makes a lot of money with little effort

under license

(of a product) made with the permission of a company or an organization
- They are Italian trains, but they will be built in Britain under license.
- The beer is brewed under license in the UK.