li·cense
ˈlī-sᵊn(t)s
variants
or licence
1
a
: permission to act
b
: freedom of action
2
a
: a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful
a hunting license
b
: a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted
c
: a grant by the holder of a copyright or patent to another of any of the rights embodied in the copyright or patent short of an assignment of all rights
3
a
: freedom that allows or is used with irresponsibility
Freedom of the press should not be turned into license.
b
: disregard for standards of personal conduct : licentiousness
4
: deviation from fact, form, or rule by an artist or writer for the sake of the effect gained
poetic license
variants
or less commonly licence
licensed also licenced; licensing also licencing
1
a
: to issue a license to
b
: to permit or authorize especially by formal license
2
: to give permission or consent to : allow
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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