1a permit from an authority to own or use something, do a particular thing, or carry on a trade (especially in alcoholic drink):a gun licence [as modifier]:a television licence fee
[mass noun] formal or official permission to do something:a subsidiary company manufactured cranes under licence from a Norwegian firm
2 [mass noun] freedom to behave as one wishes, especially in a way which results in excessive or unacceptable behaviour:the government was criticized for giving the army too much licence
a writer’s or artist’s freedom to deviate from fact, or from conventions such as grammar, for effect:artistic licence
licentiousness.
(a licence to do something) a reason or excuse to do something unacceptable:police say that the lenient sentence is a licence to assault
licence to print money
a very lucrative commercial activity, regarded as requiring little effort:people see music publishing as a licence to print money
