licence

[[t]la͟ɪs(ə)ns[/t]]

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licences

(in AM, use license)

1) N-COUNT A licence is an official document which gives you permission to do, use, or own something.

Smith, who did not have a licence, admitted driving without due care and attention...

The painting was returned to Spain on a temporary import licence...

It gained a licence to operate as a bank from the Bank of England in 1981.

Syn:

permit

2) N-UNCOUNT: also a N, N to-inf (disapproval) If you say that something gives someone licence or a licence to act in a particular way, you mean that it gives them an excuse to behave in an irresponsible or excessive way.

The ANC claimed the curfew gave licence to the police to hunt people as if they were animals...

`Dropping the charges has given racists a licence to kill,' said Jim's aunt.

3) → See also poetic licence

4) PHRASE: v-link PHR (disapproval) If you describe a commercial activity as a licence to print money, you mean that it allows people to gain a lot of money with little effort or responsibility.

Running a television company may no longer be a licence to print money, but it is still highly rewarding.

5) PHRASE: PHR after v If someone does something under licence, they do it by special permission from a government or other authority.

...a company which made the Mig-21 jet fighter under licence from Russia.