license
/ˈlaɪ.səns/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.52 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit.
American usage; Countable; Uncountable
noun
The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software.
American usage; Countable; Uncountable
noun
Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behaviour or speech).
American usage; Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Hello. I would like to buy a fish licence please."
- "Thus, while the license will grant the user the right to use the software, a major concern is the scope of that use. For example, will the user be granted the right to copy, modify, or transfer the software?"
- "In some instances, the author took license to include events which never happened, or to purposely create events which may run in the face of popular conjecture if the author felt it would help the story along."
- "I envy not the beast that takes His license in the field of time, Unfetter’d by the sense of crime, To whom a conscience never wakes; […]"
- "When liberty becomes license dictatorship is near."
- "In order to enter the building, I need to show my license."
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”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
- American usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Transitive verb