License
WordNet
noun
(1) The act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
(2) A legal document giving official permission to do something
(3) Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech)
(4) Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint
"When liberty becomes license dictatorship is near"- Will Durant
"The intolerable license with which the newspapers break...the rules of decorum"- Edmund Burke
verb
(5) Authorize officially
"I am licensed to practice law in this state"
WiktionaryText
Usage notes
In British and Australian English, licence is a noun and license is a verb. Canadian English uses licence for the noun and license or licence for the verb.
Etymology
From < < , ppr. of ; cf. , .
Noun
- A legal document giving official permission to do something; a permit.
- The legal terms under which a person is allowed to use a product, especially software.
- Even if you bought this product, it does NOT belong to you. You have a license to use it under the terms of this agreement, until you breach this agreement.
- Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech).
- Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint.
- 1936, Will Durant and Ariel Durant, The Story of Civilization, page 520:
- When liberty becomes license dictatorship is near.
- 1936, Will Durant and Ariel Durant, The Story of Civilization, page 520:
- An academic degree, the holder of which is called a licentiate, ranking slightly below doctorate, awarded by certain European and Latin-American universities.
Verb
- The act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization.
- It was decided to license Wikipedia under the GFDL.
- Authorize officially.
- I am licensed to practice law in this state.