li‧cence S3 W2 British English , license American English / laɪs ə ns / 名词
1 document [可数名词] an official document giving you permission to own or do something for a period of time → permit :
The dealers applied for an export licence.
He was arrested for driving without a license .
The Tennessee Valley Authority applied for a license to operate the facility.
The owner of land could grant a licence to cut and remove timber.
I forgot to renew my licence.
Persistent offenders face losing their licence . → driving licence
2 agreement [可数和不可数名词] an agreement with a company or organization giving permission to make, sell, or use their product
under licence
Guinness is brewed under licence in South Africa.
single-user/10-user/site licence (= permission for computer software to be used by a certain number of people or in a certain place only )
a licence agreement
3 freedom [不可数名词] freedom to do or say what you think is best :
Headteachers should be allowed greater licence in the exercise of their power.
4 artistic/poetic licence the way in which a painter or writer changes the facts of the real world to make their story, description, or picture of events more interesting or more beautiful
5 excuse [可数和不可数名词] the freedom or opportunity to behave in a way that is wrong or immoral
licence to do something
Police say it gives youngsters licence to break the law.
6 licence to print money an opportunity to make a lot of money without much work or effort – especially used to show disapproval
COLLOCATIONS
动词
have a licence Café Metropole does not yet have a license to sell liquor.
hold a licence British English (= have a licence ) Police said that the man did not hold a firearms licence.
get/gain/obtain a licence New private pilots must fly for at least fifty hours before getting their licences.
apply for a licence A doctor who moves to another state must apply for a license to practice medicine there.
grant/issue a licence He was granted his flying instructor’s licence.
renew a licence The licence must be renewed yearly.
lose your licence The police caught him driving while drunk and he will now lose his licence.
a licence runs out ( also a licence expires formal ) (= it ends ) Her driver’s license had expired.
take away sb’s licence ( also revoke somebody’s licence formal ) The doctor had his license revoked after he was found to be on drugs.
types of licence
a driving licence British English , a driver’s license American English 80 percent of 18 year olds had a driver’s license.
a pilot’s licence She became the youngest woman to hold a pilot’s licence.
a television licence British English (= which allows you to use your television and pays for public television programmes ) Buying a television means you will need a television licence.
a marriage licence (= a licence that allows two people to marry each other ) We went to get a marriage licence.
a fishing/hunting licence (= a licence that allows you to fish/hunt ) He renewed his hunting license.
an import/export licence An export licence was issued in August last year.
a provisional licence British English (= a temporary driving licence before you get your full licence ) Learner drivers need to obtain a provisional licence.
a full licence (= one that is not temporary and has no restrictions ) They offer insurance cover for drivers over 25 and under 70 years of age with a full licence.
licence + NOUN
the licence holder British English (= the person who has a licence ) the licence holder of a public house
a licence fee (= money you have to pay to get a licence ) The BBC is funded by a licence fee which all television owners have to pay.