01 n. Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or…
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1.
Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act; especially, a formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal; a grant of permission; as, a license to preach, to practice medicine, to sell gunpowder or intoxicating liquors.“To have a license and a leave at London to dwell.” — P. Plowman.
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2.
The document granting such permission.
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3.
Excess of liberty; freedom abused, or used in contempt of law or decorum; disregard of law or propriety.“License they mean when they cry liberty.” — Milton.
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4.
That deviation from strict fact, form, or rule, in which an artist or writer indulges, assuming that it will be permitted for the sake of the advantage or effect gained; as, poetic license; grammatical license, etc.
Syn.
Leave; liberty; permission.