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# licence

«licence» in Mova's school dictionary: **an official paper or card that gives you permission to do…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a licence, licences); (US spelling: license)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A licence is an official paper or card that gives you permission to do or own something, such as drive a car, catch fish or sell food. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#m1)

2) Licence can also mean freedom to do or say what you like («poetic licence» means a writer may change facts or rules for effect). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life adults need a driving licence to drive and a TV licence in the UK; shops may need a licence to sell certain things. Laws link licences to safety: only trained people can do some jobs. Phrases: «driving licence», «fishing licence», «licence plate» (US: license plate), «poetic licence».

### examples

- Mum showed her driving licence to the police officer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x1)
- You need a licence to fish in this river. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x2)
- In the UK, families pay for a TV licence. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x3)
- Dad lost his licence for speeding. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x4)
- The café has a licence to sell food on the beach. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x5)
- The writer used poetic licence and made the castle taller. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x6)
- My big brother just got his learner's licence. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x7)
- The shop's licence is on the wall. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/#x8)

### note

British, Irish, Australian and New Zealand English: noun «licence», verb «license» (to give permission). American English uses «license» for both. Canada mostly uses «licence» for the noun. Remember: «c» for the noun, like «advice/advise» and «practice/practise».

### In the corpora

- [A speed camera photographs cars going over the limit, and the driver must pay a fine and may get points on their licence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/30-police-courts-and-prison/15/)
- [Every car has a number plate, also called a licence plate, with letters and numbers.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/18-remembering-details/10/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «licence» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/licence/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.