n. [ Written also licence. ] [ F. licence, L. licentia, fr. licere to be permitted, prob. orig., to be left free to one; akin to linquere to leave. See Loan, and cf. Illicit, Leisure. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

To have a license and a leave at London to dwell. P. Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The document granting such permission. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Excess of liberty; freedom abused, or used in contempt of law or decorum; disregard of law or propriety. [ 1913 Webster ]

License they mean when they cry liberty. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Leave; liberty; permission. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Licensed p. pr. & vb. n. Licensing. ] To permit or authorize by license; to give license to; as, to license a man to preach. Milton. Shak.
Syn. -- licence, certify. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a license; permitted or authorized by license; as, a licensed victualer; a licensed traffic.
Syn. -- accredited, commissioned, licenced. [ 1913 Webster ]

Licensed victualer, one who has a license to keep an inn or eating house; esp., a victualer who has a license to sell intoxicating liquors. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) The person to whom a license is given. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who gives a license; as, a licenser of the press. [ 1913 Webster ]