license

Meaning

Noun

1. A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit.
2. The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software.
3. Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behaviour or speech).
4. Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint.
5. Short for driver's license.

Verb

1. To authorize officially.
2. (applied to a piece of intellectual property)
3. (applied to a piece of intellectual property)
4. To give permission or freedom to; accept.
5. To permit (as grammatically correct).

Concepts

license

licence

permit

permission

certificate

authorization

charter

leave

authorize

allowance

allow

certify

pass

warrant

dispensation

sanction

authorisation

dissolution

qualification

document

papers

with a license

with a licence

doctorate

concede

franchise

accreditation

official recognition

approval

looseness

self-indulgence

diploma

grant

approve

endorse

safe-conduct

ticket

record

passport

chop

commission

empower

condescension

authority

clearance

imprimatur

laissez passer

say-so

variance

freedom

latitude

liberty

vacancy

admission

capabilities

right

dog tag

issue a license

indulgence

Hyphenated as

li‧cense

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈlaɪsəns/

Etymology

From Middle English licence, licens, lisence, lissens, licance, from Old French licence, from Latin licentia (“license”), from licens, present participle of licere (“to be allowed, be allowable”); compare linquere, Ancient Greek λείπω (leípō, “leave”).