n.
- Official or legal permission to do or own a specified thing. See synonyms at permission.
- A document, plate, or tag that is issued as proof of official or legal permission: a driver's license.
- Deviation from normal rules, practices, or methods in order to achieve a certain end or effect.
- Latitude of action, especially in behavior or speech. See synonyms at freedom.
- Lack of due restraint; excessive freedom: "When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near" (Will Durant).
- Heedlessness for the precepts of proper behavior; licentiousness.
- To give or yield permission to or for.
- To grant a license to or for; authorize. See synonyms at authorize.
[Middle English licence, from Old French, from Medieval Latin licentia, authorization, from Latin, freedom, from licēns, licent-, present participle of licēre, to be permitted.]
licensable li'cens·a·ble adj.licenser li'cens·er or li'cen·sor' (-sən-sôr') n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.