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licence to print money. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
licence to print money, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
licence to print money in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Often attributed to Lew Grade, and notably used by Roy Thompson of Scottish Television around 1956.
This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.
Pronunciation
Noun
licence to print money (plural licences to print money)
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see licence, to, print, money.
- (colloquial, idiomatic) A means of generating a large income with little effort.
1953, United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance, Buford Rowland, William B. Boyd, U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance in World War II:Owning a machine tool plant, it was said, was almost as good as a license to print money.
1960, Institute of Economic Affairs (Great Britain), Hobart papers:the rather casual remark of Lord Thomson, referring to his holding in Scottish Television, that the television contract was 'a licence to print money' was much quoted
2003 October 1, BBC News, “ITV: From Take Your Pick to Popstars”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):More competition means ITV's glory days are long gone - and the new company's bosses know they will have to fight hard to regain the old licence to print money.
Translations
means of generating large income
See also