licensing

Plurallicensings

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The granting of official permission or approval to do something.

   The licensing of medical professionals ensures they meet strict standards.

   Broadcasting requires licensing from the federal regulator.

   Similarauthorization, accreditation, certification, approval, permission

   Note

   Most often it works as a mass noun for a whole system of permission, as in the licensing of broadcasters. It also counts, and the plural licensings names separate acts of authorizing. Church history speaks of irregular ordinations and licensings of ministers. An older plea for free inquiry pairs prohibition and licensings as "the weak inventions of fear and policy." Choose the plural when individual grants are meant.

2. 2
   verbUS

   Present participle of license.

   The agency is licensing several new vendors this quarter.

   Officials are licensing the factory to handle hazardous materials.

   Note

   The -ing form does double duty. It builds the progressive (the agency is licensing vendors), and as a gerund it names the act itself. Watch the direction: licensing can mean granting authorization or acquiring it, usually for a fee. A company licensing a technology may be the owner or the buyer, so the subject and context decide. This spelling of the verb belongs to US usage.

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