License, subst. 1) leave, permission: “I come to thee for charitable l., that we may wander o'er this bloody field,” H5 IV, 7, 74. “that by his l. Fortinbras craves the conveyance of a promised march,” Hml. IV, 4, 2.
2) authorization, privilege: “your virtue hath a l. in't,” Meas. II, 4, 145. “thou shalt have a l. to kill for a hundred lacking one,” H6B IV, 3, 8.
3) unrestrained liberty, licentiousness: “a fellow of much l.” Meas. III, 2, 216. “headed evils that thou with l. of free foot hast caught,” As II, 7, 68. “taunt him with the l. of ink,” Tw. III, 2, 48. “Harry from curbed l. plucks the muzzle of restraint,” H4B IV, 5, 131. “did give ourself to barbarous l.” H5 I, 2, 271. “taunt my faults with such full l.” Ant. I, 2, 112.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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