Library / English Dictionary

LICENSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization

Synonyms:

license; permission; permit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("license" is a kind of...):

authorisation; authorization; empowerment (the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "license"):

clearance (permission to proceed)

conge; congee (formal permission to depart)

allowance (the act of allowing)

dispensation (an exemption from some rule or obligation)

toleration (official recognition of the right of individuals to hold dissenting opinions (especially in religion))

Derivation:

license (authorize officially)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A legal document giving official permission to do something

Synonyms:

licence; license; permit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("license" is a kind of...):

instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "license"):

liberty chit; pass (a permit to enter or leave a military installation)

occupation licence; occupation license (a license to pursue a particular occupation)

marriage licence; marriage license; wedding licence; wedding license (a license authorizing two people to marry)

liquor licence; liquor license (a license authorizing the holder to sell alcoholic beverages)

letter of mark and reprisal; letter of marque; letters of marque (a license to a private citizen to seize property of another nation)

learner's permit (a document authorizing the bearer to learn to drive an automobile)

game license; hunting licence; hunting license; hunting permit (a license authorizing the bearer to kill a certain type of animal during a specified period of time)

fishing licence; fishing license; fishing permit (a license authorizing the bearer to fish during a specified period of time)

driver's licence; driver's license; driving licence; driving license (a license authorizing the bearer to drive a motor vehicle)

building permit (a document authorizing the holder to construct a building of a particular kind on a particular lot)

Derivation:

license (authorize officially)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech)

Synonyms:

licence; license

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("license" is a kind of...):

liberty (freedom of choice)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "license"):

poetic license (license used by a writer or artist to heighten the effect of their work)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Excessive freedom; lack of due restraint

Example:

the intolerable license with which the newspapers break...the rules of decorum

Synonyms:

licence; license

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("license" is a kind of...):

liberty (freedom of choice)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Authorize officially

Example:

I am licensed to practice law in this state

Synonyms:

certify; licence; license

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "license" is one way to...):

authorise; authorize; clear; pass (grant authorization or clearance for)

"License" entails doing...:

approve; O.K.; okay; sanction (give sanction to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "license"):

franchise (grant a franchise to)

charter (grant a charter to)

accredit; recognise; recognize (grant credentials to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

license (the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization)

license (a legal document giving official permission to do something)

licensee (someone to whom a license is granted)

licenser (an official who can issue a license or give authoritative permission (especially one who licenses publications))

Credits

 Context examples: 

This means that one of the most widespread strains of MRSA-causing infections could be treatable by a combination of drugs already licensed for use.

(Widely-available antibiotics could be used in the treatment of ‘superbug’ MRSA, University of Cambridge)

Crawford called the next day, and on the score of Edmund's return, Sir Thomas felt himself more than licensed to ask him to stay dinner; it was really a necessary compliment.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Stability data submitted to a biologics license application.

(Biologics License Application, Food and Drug Administration)

At the end of mitosis, ORC, Cdc6/18 and Cdt1 assist the binding of Mcm proteins 2-7 to chromatin, and chromatin becomes licensed for replication.

(CDK Regulation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

(Naturopathy Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

DNA replication licensing factor MCM4 (863 aa, ~97 kDa) is encoded by the human MCM4 gene.

(DNA Replication Licensing Factor MCM4, NCI Thesaurus)

NPs are licensed by a state authority.

(Nurse practitioner, NCI Thesaurus)

Stopped to get the license for tomorrow, ma'am.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

For NDAs, ANDAs, and BLAs, this represents the original indication(s) for which approval/licensing is being sought.

(Original Application, Food and Drug Administration)

A scope of physician assistant professional activity does not include the full range of interpretation of medical findings requiring the full professional background of the licensed physician.

(Physician assistant, NCI Thesaurus)