A licence to print money
noun
An opportunity to make a lot of money with little effort.
Their new business idea is like a licence to print money.
Often appears as...
- have a licence to print money
- get a licence to print money
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
noun
A legal authority or power to generate a large profits, often attributed in a cynical way.
Critics claimed that the government's new policy effectively gave certain firms a licence to print money.
Often appears as...
- give a licence to print money
- grant a licence to print money
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
noun
An opportunity to make a lot of money with little effort.
Their new business idea is like a licence to print money.
Often appears as...
- have a licence to print money
- get a licence to print money
Usage tips
Informal
Colloquial
noun
A legal authority or power to generate a large profits, often attributed in a cynical way.
Critics claimed that the government's new policy effectively gave certain firms a licence to print money.
Often appears as...
- give a licence to print money
- grant a licence to print money
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Colloquial Usage
This phrase is casual and mainly used in informal conversations or in the media for impact.
When he invented that app, it was a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphor
It's a metaphor suggesting the ease of making money as if one could literally print it.
Her viral product turned out to be a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 3/3Idiomatic Expression
Understand that it's an idiom, not to be taken literally, but to emphasize profitability.
That franchise is a licence to print money with its low costs and high demand.
Pro Tip 1/3Colloquial Usage
This phrase is casual and mainly used in informal conversations or in the media for impact.
When he invented that app, it was a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphor
It's a metaphor suggesting the ease of making money as if one could literally print it.
Her viral product turned out to be a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 3/3Idiomatic Expression
Understand that it's an idiom, not to be taken literally, but to emphasize profitability.
That franchise is a licence to print money with its low costs and high demand.
Pro Tip 1/3Colloquial Usage
This phrase is casual and mainly used in informal conversations or in the media for impact.
When he invented that app, it was a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 2/3Metaphor
It's a metaphor suggesting the ease of making money as if one could literally print it.
Her viral product turned out to be a licence to print money.
Pro Tip 3/3Idiomatic Expression
Understand that it's an idiom, not to be taken literally, but to emphasize profitability.
That franchise is a licence to print money with its low costs and high demand.
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