franchise

Pluralfranchises

Formsfranchises, franchising, franchised

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A business that operates under authorization from a larger company to sell its goods or services.

   Each franchise pays a monthly fee to the parent company.

   The fast-food franchise on the corner is locally owned but nationally branded.

   Similaroutlet, branch, dealership

2. 2
   nouncountable

   Permission granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services within a particular area.

   The company sold the regional franchise to a local investor.

   Her franchise covers three counties in the northern part of the state.

   Similarlicense, concession, dealership, distributorship

   Note

   The permission itself, as opposed to the outlet that operates under it. The two blur easily. When McDonald's "has exported its franchise", what crosses borders is the arrangement of brand, rights and territory, not any single restaurant. If you mean the shop, franchisee is clearer. If you mean the contract, this is the sense, and the commercial verb names the act of granting it.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A loose collection of fictional works (books, films, and television series) set in the same fictional universe and authorized by a single copyright holder.

   The studio expanded the superhero franchise with two spin-off series.

   A new game extended the franchise into interactive territory.

   Similarseries, saga, universe, property

4. 4
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The right to vote in a public election or referendum.

   The reform extended the franchise to all adult citizens.

   Property requirements once limited the franchise to wealthy landowners.

   Similarsuffrage, vote

5. 5
   nouncountable

   A right or privilege that a government formally grants to a person, a group, or a company.

   The utility holds a government franchise to supply water to the region.

   Parliament granted the merchants a franchise to trade in the colony.

   Similarconcession, charter, license, privilege, right

   Note

   Here the word still means any grant from the state, and the vote was once just one such grant. William H. Seward, debating before 1872, called election by universal suffrage "the one crowning franchise of the American people". That phrase sits halfway between this sense and the right to vote. Read older political prose with both in mind: a franchise there may be any privilege, not only the ballot.

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To grant others the right to sell or distribute your goods or services.

   The company chose to franchise its coffee shops rather than own them all.

   To grow quickly, the founders decided to franchise the business nationwide.

   Similarlicense

   Note

   The commercial verb reaches beyond shops and products. In 1974 Gay Community News reported plans to franchise an advertising campaign to groups across the country. The past participle also works as an adjective. James Matney, writing in 2008, mocks "the widely franchised cheeseburger", meaning one sold everywhere under one name and, by implication, made the same everywhere and only reliably adequate.

7. 7
   nouncountable

   A sports team considered as a continuing entity, including the whole history and tradition of its organization beyond its current form.

   The franchise has reached the playoffs in twelve of the last fifteen seasons.

   Despite relocating twice, the franchise still honors records set in its original city.

   Similarclub, team, organization

   Note

   Sports writing uses it for the team that outlasts its cities, owners and players. The Whalers called Hartford home, yet that city "was one of many for the franchise", because the franchise is what moves. In cricket the word can simply mean a team in a league, as when a player turns out for seven franchises. Use it when continuity matters, as in franchise records. For one season's squad, say team.

8. 8
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The positive influence a company's or brand's reputation has on customers' buying decisions.

   Years of reliable service gave the brand a loyal franchise among older buyers.

   Marketers measured how much franchise the logo retained after the redesign.

   Similargoodwill, following, loyalty, equity

   Note

   Marketing and investment writers use it for the pull a reputation exerts, usually in the phrases consumer franchise or brand franchise. Robert G. Hagstrom's The Essential Buffett (2002) calls the best business to own a franchise: one with no close substitute. Jack L. Treynor's Treynor on Institutional Investing (2007) notes that consulting and advertising firms call the same asset "reputation". On a financial page, then, a franchise means this hold on buyers, not a licensing deal.

9. 9
   verbtransitive

   To grant a person or body certain powers, rights, or authorization.

   The new constitution franchised the provinces to levy their own taxes.

   Lawmakers voted to franchise the agency with broad regulatory powers.

   Similarempower, authorize, license, entitle, enable

   Note

   The verb has its own history: Middle English franchisen, from Old French franchir, "to set free". In public administration it names handing a service to an operator on agreed terms. Rail (2020), reporting a Commons reply, sets franchising against open access and contrasts franchised with non-franchised operators, so the participle does much of the work. The verb is transitive: a government franchises a body or a service.

10. 10
    noununcountable

    Membership of a state or corporation; citizenship.

    Franchise in the medieval town brought both duties and protections.

    Merchants from abroad could not trade in the city until they had purchased its franchise and sworn loyalty to the council.

    Similarcitizenship, freedom, membership

Showing meanings only. Show all 16