sb. Forms: 4–6 li-, lycens, 4–7 lycence, 5–6 lysence, -ens, (6 laysance, lysans, -aunce, Sc. lecens, 7 licience), 5–9 license, 4– licence. [a. F. licence, ad. L. licentia, f. licēre to be lawful. Cf. Sp. licencia, Pg. licença, It. licenza.
The spelling license, though still often met with, has no justification in the case of the sb. In the case of the vb., on the other hand, although the spelling licence is etymologically unobjectionable, license is supported by the analogy of the rule universally adopted in the similar pairs of related words, practice sb., practise vb., prophecy sb., prophesy vb. (The rule seems to have arisen from imitation of the spelling of pairs like advice sb., advise vb., which expresses a phonetic distinction of historical origin.) A slight argument for preferring the s form in the vb. may be found in the existence of the derivatives licensable and licensure (U.S.) which could not conveniently be spelt otherwise.
Johnson and Todd give only the form license both for the sb. and the vb., but the spelling of their quots. conforms, with one exception, to the rule above referred to, which is recognized by Smart (1836), and seems to represent the now prevailing usage. Recent Dicts., however, almost universally have license both for sb. and vb., either without alternative or in the first place.]
1. Liberty (to do something), leave, permission. Now somewhat rare. † Also occas. exemption from (something). † Formerly often in phr. licence and leave; by, with, without (a person’s) licence; to get, give, have, obtain, take (a) licence. (Cf. LEAVE sb. 1.)
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. Prol. 82. And askeþ leue and lycence at londun to dwelle.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 855. If I have licence of this worthy frere.
1422. Hoccleve, Min. Poems (1892), 223. Now, sire, yit a word, by your licence.
c. 1450. Merlin, 17. She ansuerde prayinge she myght speke with hir confessour; and they yaf hir lycence.
1493. Charter, in A. Laing, Lindores Abbey, xvii. (1876), 179. Anentis the making of out men burges but licens of the said abbot.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 146. Whose names we purpose to shewe with lycens.
1526. Tindale, John xix. 38. And Pilate gave him licence.
1532. Fortescue’s Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 119. Hou long any of them may be absent, hou he schal have his leve and licence … may be conceyyyd by leysure.
1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. IV., 10. The duke was banished … and yet without license of Kyng Richarde he is returned again into the realme.
1549. Compl. Scot., xvii. 146. He gat neuyt lecens to marye quhil on to the tyme that [etc.].
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia, II. (1895), 148. The people … haue geuen a perpetual licence from labour to learnyng.
1640. Order Ho. Commons, in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 143. Mr. R. H. has License to go and speak with Sir G. R.
1675. Baxter, Cath. Theol., II. I. 122. Doth God forbid it? No; he commandeth it, which is more than leave or licence.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. x. (1840), 225. It would be difficult to go from hence without their license.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. App. ii. 256. If he sold his estate without licence from his lord.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. I. i. 133. The king … may … prohibit any of his subjects from going into foreign parts without licence.
1807. Crabbe, Village, II. 61. Who take a licence round their fields to stray.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, V. 81. The declaration … was now interpreted … as a license to restore their political unity.
1861. Mill, Utilit., v. 66. Others would confine the license of disobedience to unjust laws.
1888. M. Morris, Claverhouse, vi. 110. The same license was granted to him for dealing with all future criminals of the same class.
† b. spec. Leave or permission to depart; chiefly in phrase, to take one’s licence, to take one’s leave; also licence and congee. Obs. (Cf. CONGEE sb. 2 b and LEAVE sb. 2.)
[c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xvi. 67. The king hem ȝaf license Forto gon from his precense.]
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 30. Good men of armes … discoragethe them as sone as paiment failethe, and takethe theire congie and licence of theire prince.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., V. (Percy Soc.), 24. Of her than I dyd take my lycence.
1556–8. Phaër, Æneid, IV. K j b. Fayne wold he flee, and of that contrey sweete his licence take.
2. A formal, usually a printed or written permission from a constituted authority to do something, e.g., to marry, to print or publish a book, to preach, to carry on some trade, etc.; a permit. Also in phrases † book of licence (see BOOK sb. 1), letter of licence and composition (see quot. 1809), licence of mortmain (see MORTMAIN); (to marry) by licence in opposition to by banns.
1433. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 467/1. To praye … the kynge to graunte licence of Exchaunge, under his grete Seal.
1463. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (Roxb.), 187. We … charge you to suffyr hym … to enjoye our sayd lycence wyth outyn any let.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 81. This is she that in maner hath destroyed all religyons by the reason of dispensacyons or lycences.
1549. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. III. i. 136. [To] requyre yow … to drawe a booke of Lysaunce from his Maiestie, to the Maior and Auldremen [etc.].
1552–3. Inv. Ch. Goods, Staffs., in Ann. Lichfield, IV. 46. xl s. peyd to the bysshope for his laysance to byrrey.
1611. Bible, Transl. Pref., 6. They must first get a Licence in writing before they may vse them [the Scriptures].
1617. in Grosart’s Spenser (1882), III. p. ci. John fflorio, esquier, and Rose Spicer marrd by licence from Mr. Weston’s Office.
1641. Declar. Both Houses, in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 515. Captain S. did by vertue and authority of Your Majesties License, embark at White-Haven.
1649. Thorpe, Charge at York Assizes, 20. For a Badgers or Drovers License two shillings.
1683. Robin Consc., 15. If I [a publican] my Licence should observe,… Both I and mine alas would starve.
1724. R. Wodrow, Life J. Wodrow (1828), 53. The form of his licence [to preach] I insert from the original.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. x. 410. A licence for the shipping of his stores and provisions.
1763. Brit. Mag., IV. 495. Would you keep your pearls from tramplers, Weigh the licence, weigh the bans.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 269. It … is … necessary, for corporations to have a licence of mortmain from the crown.
1776. Adam Smith, W. N., I. vi. (1869), I. 52. He must pay for the licence to gather these fruits.
1797. Burke, Regic. Peace, iii. Wks. VIII. 406. Licences to dealers in spirits and wine.
1809. R. Langford, Introd. Trade, 108. A Letter of License is an instrument or writing granted to a debtor by his creditors, giving him respite and time for payment of his debts…. When … they not only grant respite and time for payment, but agree to allow an abatement on their respective accounts, then this instrument is called a Letter of License and Composition.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Berkeley the Banker, I. iv. 92. A fine of £100 for every act of issue after the term of license has expired.
1840. Macaulay, Ess., Ranke (1843), III. 240. A congregation is formed. A license is obtained. A plain brick building,… is run up, and named Ebenezer or Bethel.
1841. Lytton, Nt. & Morn., I. i. Do you marry by license? No; my intended is not of age.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, vii. (1872), 61. ‘The Sandy Foundation Shaken’ was printed without a license from the Bishop of London.
1851. R. Nesbit, in Mem., xii. (1858), 305. After receiving ‘licence,’ he preached in the Mission Lecture Room.
b. The document embodying such a permission.
1598. Yong, Diana, 393. The Kings licence being now come.
1625. Massinger, New Way, IV. i. Pray ride to Nottingham, get a license.
1683. in Songs Lond. Prentices (Percy Soc.), 81. I bade her [an alewife] on her licence look.
1888. Daily News, 28 Sept., 3/3. There was a custom among cab proprietors of ‘chair-marking’ their drivers’ licences.
1899. Raymond, Two Men o’ Mendip, xv. 249. He’d have no choice but to marry us, when I did come, licence in han’.
c. In some Universities, a certificate of competency in some faculty.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., Licence is also applied to the letters, or certificates, taken out in universities, whether in law, physic, or divinity.
1900–1. Durh. Univ. Cal., 141. Final Examination for the Licence in Theology. Ibid., 487. Licence in Sanitary Science.
3. Liberty of action conceded or acknowledged; an instance of this.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 457. Thy lycence es lemete in presence of lordys.
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xxxvi. 48. That nou sik licience haif we none.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. ii. 112. Taunt my faults With such full License, as both Truth and Malice Haue power to vtter.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., v. (1701), 157/1. The true Licence of Disputations.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. vi. 39. Do you so understand the license you have, Miss?
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. ix. 299. English law … has neither definition nor words to … circumscribe the license of the Judge.
1834. Mar. Edgeworth, Helen, xxxvii. (1883), 312. The first little fib in which Lady Cecilia, as a customary licence of speech, indulged herself the moment she awoke this morning.
1850. Kingsley, Alt. Locke, xi. (1876), 127. I thanked him again for what license he had given me.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. xiii. 249. He … allowed great and public licence to his tongue.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 5225. The rooted plant aspired to range With the snake’s license.
1884. Manch. Exam., 20 Feb., 4/7. Ordinary license of speech has seldom been more shamefully exceeded.
b. Excessive liberty; abuse of freedom; disregard of law or propriety; an instance of this.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, I. xvi. 18. Oþer mennes large licence displesiþ us, but we to ourself wol have no þinge denyed þat we aske.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. ii. 48. Taunt him with the license of Inke.
1644. Milton, Areop. (Arb.), 35. I should be condemn’d of introducing licence, while I oppose Licencing.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, xv. (1708), 20. Under the Allegory of the Ass is Insinuated the License of a Buffoon.
1719. Young, Busiris, II. i. Your heart resents some licence of my youth.
a. 1720. Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.), Wks. (1753), I. 272. They are for licence, not for liberty.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., I. i. The licence of invention some people take is monstrous indeed.
1797. Burke, Regic. Peace, iii. Wks. VIII. 366. The intolerable licence with which the newspapers break … the rules of decorum.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, I. xvii. Thy license shook his sober dome.
1840. Thirlwall, Greece, VIII. 315. The license which he gave to his troops to enrich themselves with the spoil of the country.
1850. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. i. (1864), 3. The first license given to the tongue is slander.
1867. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Prog. Cult., Wks. (Bohn), III. 226. The freedom of action goes to the brink … of license.
1881. Westcott & Hort, Grk. N. T., Introd. § 13. The mixture has been accompanied or preceded by such licence in transcription.
c. Licentiousness, libertinism.
1713. Steele, Guardian, No. 18, ¶ 3. The cause of much license and riot.
1823. Scott, Peveril, xvii. His unlimited license … has disgusted the minds of all sober and thinking men.
1841. Trevelyan, Life Macaulay (1876), I. ii. 84. The reaction from Puritanic rigour into the license of the Restoration.
1847. G. P. R. James, J. Marston Hall, ix. The license of every kind that then existed in the city no tongue can tell nor pen can describe.
1901. Expositor, May, 367. These implements of license were originally made by God.
4. Deviation from recognized form or rule, indulged in by a writer or artist for the sake of effect; an instance of this. Frequent in phrase poetic (poetical, etc.) licence.
1530. Palsgr., 44. Which auctors do rather by a lycence poetycall.
1657. J. Smith, Myst. Rhet., 49. By the licence of this figure we give names to many things which lack names, &c.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, Ded. (f). I generally join these two Licenses together.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Licence, in painting, are the liberties which the painter takes in dispensing with the rules of perspective, and the other laws of his art.
a. 1771. Gray, Corr. (1843), 260. As to any license in the feet, it is only permitted in the beginning of a long verse.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. cxx. This liberty is a poetic licence.
1859. Kingsley, Misc. (1860), I. 227. The poem … allows a metrical licence.
1877. L. Tollemache, in Fortn. Rev., Dec., 846. By a prophetic license, perpetual means transitory.
1899. F. T. Bullen, Log Sea-waif, 179. Coleridge’s simile of ‘A painted ship upon a painted ocean’ is only a poet’s licence.
5. attrib. and Comb., as licence-duty, -fee, -holder, -money, -tax.
1859. K. Cornwallis, New World, I. 137. The infliction of the *license fee … tended very much to exasperate the miners.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 7 Sept., 3/3. The old *licence-holders are going to the wall, and the brewers are stepping in.
1692. Ann. Albany (1850), 121. Ordered that the sheriffe have a warrant to levy the *lycence money.
1900. Daily News, 4 June, 3/4. The Boers collected licence money from all the shops.
1886. Pop. Sci. Monthly, XXVIII. Feb., 464 (Cent.). The *license-tax, as it is called there [in Wisconsin], applies to railroads, insurance, telegraph, and telephone companies.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. II. xliii. 135. Licence taxes … are directly levied by … State officials.
