WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
verb.
authorize officially
noun.
a legal document giving official permission to do something
noun.
excessive freedom; lack of due restraint
noun.
freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in behavior or speech)
Word Usage
"• An unlicensed use of the word licence resulted in a flawed headline above a column on the Comment pages yesterday Ignoring its imperial history licences the west to repeat it, 7 April, page 35."