FRANCHISE

franchise, enfranchisement

(noun) a statutory right or privilege granted to a person or group by a government (especially the rights of citizenship and the right to vote)

franchise

(noun) an authorization to sell a company’s goods or services in a particular place

franchise, dealership

(noun) a business established or operated under an authorization to sell or distribute a company’s goods or services in a particular area

franchise

(verb) grant a franchise to

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology 1

Noun

franchise (countable and uncountable, plural franchises)

The right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage, suffragette.

A right or privilege officially granted to a person, a group of people, or a company by a government.

• W. H. Seward

An acknowledgment of a corporation's existence and ownership.

The authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area.

A business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.

A legal exemption from jurisdiction.

The membership of a corporation or state; citizenship.

The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.

• London Encyc.

(sports) The collection of organizations in the history of a sports team; the tradition of a sports team as an entity, extending beyond the contemporary organization.

(business, marketing) The positive influence on the buying behavior of customers exerted by the reputation of a company or a brand.

The loose collection of fictional works pertaining to a particular universe, including literary, film, or television series from various sources.

Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.

(obsolete) Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility.

Synonyms

• (business operating under franchise): franchisee, concession

Etymology 2

Verb

franchise (third-person singular simple present franchises, present participle franchising, simple past and past participle franchised)

(transitive) To confer certain powers on; grant a franchise to; authorize.

(transitive, rare) To set free; invest with a franchise or privilege; enfranchise.

Source: Wiktionary

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Fran"chise ( or ; 277), n. Etym: [F., fr. franc, fem. franche, free. See Frank, a.]

1. Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. (LAw)

Definition: A particular privilege conferred by grant from a sovereign or a government, and vested in individuals; an imunity or exemption from ordinary jurisdiction; a constitutional or statutory right or privilege, esp. the right to vote. Election by universal suffrage, as modified by the Constitution, is the one crowning franchise of the American people. W. H. Seward.

3. The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary. Churches and mobasteries in Spain are franchises for criminals. London Encyc.

4. Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility. "Franchise in woman." [Obs.] Chaucer. Elective franchise, the privilege or right of voting in an election of public officers.

Fran"chise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Franchised; p. pr. & vb. n. Franchising.] Etym: [Cf. OF. franchir to free, F., to cross.]

Definition: To make free; to enfranchise; to give liberty to. Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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