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 ] | 
