franchise

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: fran=chise

CIDE DICTIONARY

franchise, n. [F., fr. franc, fem. franche, free. See Frank, a.].

•  Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  A particular privilege conferred by grant from a sovereign or a government, and vested in individuals; an immunity or exemption from ordinary jurisdiction; a constitutional or statutory right or privilege, esp. the right to vote.  [1913 Webster]

  "Election by universal suffrage, as modified by the Constitution, is the one crowning franchise of the American people."  [1913 Webster]
•  The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.  [1913 Webster]

  "Churches and mobasteries in Spain are franchises for criminals."  [1913 Webster]
•  Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

Elective franchise, the privilege or right of voting in an election of public officers.

franchise, v. t. [Cf. OF. franchir to free, F., to cross.].

 To make free; to enfranchise; to give liberty to.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

franchise, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the right to vote at State (esp. parliamentary) elections. b the principle of qualification for this.
2 full membership of a corporation or State; citizenship.
3 authorization granted to an individual or group by a company to sell its goods or services in a particular way.
4 hist. legal immunity or exemption from a burden or jurisdiction.
5 a right or privilege granted to a person or corporation.
--v.tr. grant a franchise to.

Derivative

franchisee n. franchiser n. (also franchisor).

Etymology

ME f. OF f. franc, franche free: see FRANK

THESAURUS

franchise

Australian ballot, Hare system, affranchise, authorize, aye, ballot, blank check, brevet, canvass, canvassing, carte blanche, casting vote, certificate, certify, charter, concession, copyright, counting heads, cumulative voting, deciding vote, diploma, diplomatic immunity, discharge, dispensation, division, empower, enable, enfranchise, enfranchisement, entitle, exception, exemption, fagot vote, favor, female suffrage, freedom, give official sanction, give power, grant, graveyard vote, hand vote, household franchise, immunity, indulgence, legalize, legislative immunity, legitimize, letters patent, liberty, license, list system, manhood suffrage, nay, no, nontransferable vote, patent, permission, plebiscite, plebiscitum, plumper, plural vote, poll, polling, preferential voting, privilege, proportional representation, proxy, ratify, record vote, referendum, release, representation, right to vote, rising vote, royal grant, sanction, say, secret ballot, show of hands, single vote, snap vote, special favor, straw vote, suffrage, suffragette, suffragettism, suffragism, suffragist, the vote, transferable vote, universal suffrage, validate, viva voce, voice, voice vote, vote, voting, voting right, warrant, woman-suffragist, write-in, write-in vote, yea, yeas and nays, yes

ROGET THESAURUS

franchise

Freedom

N freedom, liberty, independence, license, facility, scope, range, latitude, play, free play, full play, free scope, full scope, free stage and no favor, swing, full swing, elbowroom, margin, rope, wide berth, Liberty Hall, franchise, denization, free man, freed man, livery man, denizen, autonomy, self-government, liberalism, free trade, noninterference, Monroe Doctrine, immunity, exemption, emancipation, enfranchisement, affranchisement, free land, freehold, allodium, frankalmoigne, mortmain, bushwhacker, freelance, free thinker, free trader, independent, free, free as air, out of harness, independent, at large, loose, scot-free, left alone, left to oneself, in full swing, uncaught, unconstrained, unbuttoned, unconfined, unrestrained, unchecked, unprevented, unhindered, unobstructed, unbound, uncontrolled, untrammeled, unsubject, ungoverned, unenslaved, unenthralled, unchained, unshackled, unfettered, unreined, unbridled, uncurbed, unmuzzled, unrestricted, unlimited, unmitigated, unconditional, absolute, discretionary, unassailed, unforced, uncompelled, unbiassed, spontaneous, free and easy, at ease, at one's ease, degage, quite at home, wanton, rampant, irrepressible, unvanquished, exempt, freed, freeborn, autonomous, freehold, allodial, gratis, eleutherian, unclaimed, going a begging, freely, ad libitum, ubi libertas ibi patria, free white and twenty-one.

Dueness

N due, dueness, right, privilege, prerogative, prescription, title, claim, pretension, demand, birthright, immunity, license, liberty, franchise, vested interest, vested right, sanction, authority, warranty, charter, warrant, constitution, tenure, bond, claimant, appellant, plaintiff, having a right to, entitled to, claiming, deserving, meriting, worthy of, privileged, allowed, sanctioned, warranted, authorized, ordained, prescribed, constitutional, chartered, enfranchised, prescriptive, presumptive, absolute, indefeasible, unalienable, inalienable, imprescriptible, inviolable, unimpeachable, unchallenged, sacrosanct, due to, merited, deserved, condign, richly deserved, allowable, lawful, licit, legitimate, legal, legalized, square, unexceptionable, right, equitable, due, en r gle, fit, fitting, correct, proper, meet, befitting, becoming, seemly, decorous, creditable, up to the mark, right as a trivet, just the thing, quite the thing, selon les r gles, duly, ex officio, de jure, by right, by divine right, jure divino, Dei gratia, in the name of, civis Romanus sum, +a chaque saint sa chandelle.

Exemption

N exemption, absence, exception, immunity, privilege, release, exempt from, devoid of, without, unpossessed of, unblest with, immune from, not having, unpossessed, untenanted, without an owner, unobtained, unacquired, exemption, freedom, irresponsibility, immunity, liberty, license, release, exoneration, excuse, dispensation, absolution, franchise, renunciation, discharge, exculpation, exempt, free, immune, at liberty, scot-free, released, unbound, unencumbered, irresponsible, unaccountable, not answerable, excusable, bonis nocet quisquis pepercerit malis.