# license

/ˈɫaɪsəns/ (US) · /lˈaɪsəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/license
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. official permit

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

an official document that gives you permission to do or own something.

For teachers: a formal document or permit issued by an authority granting permission to perform a specific action or own a specific item.

- You must carry your driver's license whenever you are behind the wheel.
- The restaurant was forced to close temporarily after failing to renew its liquor license before the annual deadline.

Usage: In American English, 'license' is used for both the noun and the verb.

### 2. software/usage terms

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the legal rules that say how you are allowed to use a product, like a computer program.

For teachers: the legal terms and conditions governing the use of intellectual property, particularly software or media.

- Please read the software license before you click the install button.
- The company purchased a site license that allowed all five hundred employees to use the design software simultaneously.

Usage: Often used in the phrase 'end-user license agreement' (EULA).

### 3. creative freedom

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the freedom to change facts or break rules to create a special effect, especially in art or writing.

For teachers: intentional deviation from fact, convention, or standard rules for artistic or rhetorical effect.

- The director took some poetic license with the history to make the movie more exciting.
- While the biographer was praised for his prose, critics noted he took considerable artistic license with the timeline of the subject's early life.

Usage: Commonly appears in the fixed phrases 'poetic license' or 'artistic license'.

### 4. to give permission

verb · CEFR B2

to give someone official or legal permission to do something.

For teachers: to grant official or legal authority to an individual or organization to perform a specific activity.

- The city decided to license three new taxi companies this year.
- The medical board is responsible for licensing doctors to ensure they meet the national standards for patient care.

## Examples

- You must show your driver's license to rent a car.
- The restaurant had to close temporarily because its liquor license had expired and the renewal was delayed.
- Obtaining a pilot's license requires hundreds of hours of flight time and a rigorous series of written examinations to ensure safety standards are met.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.