li·cense 1 /'līs-əns/ n [Anglo-French, literally, permission, from Old French, from Latin licentia, from licent- licens, present participle of licēre to be permitted, be for sale]
1 a: a right or permission granted by a competent authority (as of a government or a business) to engage in some business or occupation, do some act, or engage in some transaction which would be unlawful without such right or permission; also: a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted
b: revocable authority or permission given solely to one having no possessory rights in a tract of land to do something on that land which would otherwise be unlawful or a trespass compare easement, lease
c: a grant by the holder of a copyright or patent to another of any of the rights embodied in the copyright or patent short of an assignment of all rights
2: a defense (as to trespass) that one's act was in accordance with a license granted
3 a: freedom that allows or is used with irresponsibility
b: disregard for standards of personal conduct: licentiousness
license 2 vt li·censed, li·cens·ing
1: to issue a license to
2: to permit or authorize by a license
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.