I. li ‧ cence S3 W2 BrE AmE British English , license American English /ˈlaɪs ə ns/ noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ licence , ↑ licensee ; verb : ↑ license ; adjective : ↑ licensed ]
1 . DOCUMENT [countable] an official document giving you permission to own or do something for a period of time ⇨ permit :
The dealers applied for an export licence.
He was arrested for driving without a license.
The Tennessee Valley Authority applied for a license to operate the facility.
The owner of land could grant a licence to cut and remove timber.
I forgot to renew my licence.
Persistent offenders face losing their licence.
⇨ ↑ driving licence
2 . AGREEMENT [uncountable and countable] an agreement with a company or organization giving permission to make, sell, or use their product
under licence
Guinness is brewed under licence in South Africa.
single-user/10-user/site licence (=permission for computer software to be used by a certain number of people or in a certain place only)
a licence agreement
3 . FREEDOM [uncountable] freedom to do or say what you think is best:
Headteachers should be allowed greater licence in the exercise of their power.
4 . artistic/poetic licence the way in which a painter or writer changes the facts of the real world to make their story, description, or picture of events more interesting or more beautiful
5 . EXCUSE [uncountable and countable] the freedom or opportunity to behave in a way that is wrong or immoral
licence to do something
Police say it gives youngsters licence to break the law.
6 . licence to print money an opportunity to make a lot of money without much work or effort – especially used to show disapproval
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have a licence
Café Metropole does not yet have a license to sell liquor.
▪ hold a licence British English (=have a licence)
Police said that the man did not hold a firearms licence.
▪ get/gain/obtain a licence
New private pilots must fly for at least fifty hours before getting their licences.
▪ apply for a licence
A doctor who moves to another state must apply for a license to practice medicine there.
▪ grant/issue a licence
He was granted his flying instructor’s licence.
▪ renew a licence
The licence must be renewed yearly.
▪ lose your licence
The police caught him driving while drunk and he will now lose his licence.
▪ a licence runs out ( also a licence expires formal ) (=it ends)
Her driver’s license had expired.
▪ take away sb’s licence ( also revoke somebody's licence formal )
The doctor had his license revoked after he was found to be on drugs.
■ types of licence
▪ a driving licence British English , a driver's license American English
80 percent of 18 year olds had a driver’s license.
▪ a pilot’s licence
She became the youngest woman to hold a pilot’s licence.
▪ a television licence British English (=which allows you to use your television and pays for public television programmes)
Buying a television means you will need a television licence.
▪ a marriage licence (=a licence that allows two people to marry each other)
We went to get a marriage licence.
▪ a fishing/hunting licence (=a licence that allows you to fish/hunt)
He renewed his hunting license.
▪ an import/export licence
An export licence was issued in August last year.
▪ a provisional licence British English (=a temporary driving licence before you get your full licence)
Learner drivers need to obtain a provisional licence.
▪ a full licence (=one that is not temporary and has no restrictions)
They offer insurance cover for drivers over 25 and under 70 years of age with a full licence.
■ licence + NOUN
▪ the licence holder British English (=the person who has a licence)
the licence holder of a public house
▪ a licence fee (=money you have to pay to get a licence)
The BBC is funded by a licence fee which all television owners have to pay.
II. li ‧ cense AC BrE AmE ( also licence British English ) /ˈlaɪs ə ns/ verb [transitive usually passive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ licence , ↑ licensee ; verb : ↑ license ; adjective : ↑ licensed ]
to give official permission for someone to do or produce something, or for an activity to take place
be licensed to do something
a restaurant which is licensed to sell alcohol
The vaccine has been licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration.