Reading Theme:
Licence: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：official permit (licence)
licence
/ˈlaɪsəns/
n.
An official paper or card that allows you to do something, like drive a car or have a business.
official permit
➕
/əˈfɪʃəl ˈpɜːmɪt/
n.
A document or card issued by an authority that grants permission to engage in a specific activity, such as driving or operating a business.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'licentia' (freedom), through Old French 'licence'.
💡 Mnemonic
A licence is like a legal ticket, granting freedom to do something specific.
📖 Example
After passing her test, she proudly showed everyone her new driving licence.
She proudly displayed her new driving permit after passing the test.
🔗 Collocations
driving licence – a permit allowing one to drive a vehicle
business licence – official permission to operate a business
licence plate – a vehicle registration plate
🔄 Synonyms
permit (n.) – an official document giving permission
certificate (n.) – a document attesting a fact, especially of qualification
authorization (n.) – official permission or approval
🚫 Antonyms
prohibition (n.) – the act of forbidding something
ban (n.) – an official or legal prohibition
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
Derived from Latin 'licentia', meaning 'freedom'. Entered English in the 14th century, initially denoting liberty, later specializing to official permits, reflecting societal regulation.
Meaning 2：freedom to act (licence)
licence
/ˈlaɪsəns/
n.
The freedom or permission that someone has to behave in a certain way, often to an extreme degree.
freedom to act
➕
/ˈfriːdəm tuː ækt/
n.
The liberty or permission granted to behave in a particular way, often implying a degree of excess or deviation from norms.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The writer felt the new job gave her the artistic licence to experiment with different styles.
The writer believed the new position provided artistic freedom to try various styles.
🔗 Collocations
artistic licence – freedom to deviate from facts for creative purposes
poetic licence – liberty taken by poets to alter facts
licence to kill – permission to kill, often in fictional contexts
🔄 Synonyms
freedom (n.) – the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants
liberty (n.) – the state of being free within society
permission (n.) – consent or authorization
🚫 Antonyms
restriction (n.) – a limitation or control
constraint (n.) – a restriction or limitation
🌱 Derivatives
licentious (adj.) – promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters
licencee (n.) – a person or organization holding a licence
Wordbook
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