Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Language: French
Origin: 'white card, document with no writing'

carte blanche

 noun
     
carte blanche [uncountable]
permission or freedom to do whatever you want:
The new manager will be given carte blanche as long as she can increase the company's profits.
She had carte blanche to produce a film suitable for children.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary