franchise n
1. an authorization to sell a company's goods or services in a particular place
2. a business established or operated under an authorization to sell or distribute a company's goods or services in a particular area [syn: dealership]
3. a statutory right or privilege granted to a person or group by a government (especially the rights of citizenship and the right to vote) [syn: enfranchisement] v : grant a franchise to

Franchise \Fran"chise\ (? or ?; 277), n. [F., fr. franc, fem. franche, free. See Frank, a.]
1. Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty. [Obs.] --Spenser.
2. (LAw) A particular privilege conferred by grant from a sovereign or a government, and vested in individuals; an imunity or exemption from ordinary jurisdiction; a constitutional or statutory right or privilege, esp. the right to vote. Election by universal suffrage, as modified by the Constitution, is the one crowning franchise of the American people. --W. H. Seward.
3. The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary. Churches and mobasteries in Spain are franchises for criminals. --London Encyc.
4. Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility. ``Franchise in woman.'' [Obs.] --Chaucer. Elective franchise, the privilege or right of voting in an election of public officers.

Franchise \Fran"chise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Franchised; p. pr. & vb. n. Franchising.] [Cf. OF. franchir to free, F., to cross.] To make free; to enfranchise; to give liberty to. --Shak.

See more meaning on Franchise...

• Franchise: Franchise generally means a right or privilege. It may refer to: Suffrage , the civil right to vote. Franchising , a business method that ...
• Media franchise: A media franchise is an intellectual property involving the characters , setting and trademark s of an original work of media (usually a ...

• Good Afternoon America’: ABC to launch expansion of ‘GMA’ franchise with 2 p.m. telecast  - New York Daily News
  ABC's "Good Morning America," fresh off its first victory over NBC's "Today Show" since the Clinton administration, is expanding to the afternoon. Starting July 9 and running for nine weeks, coanchors Lara Spencer and Josh Elliott will add a one ... Read more on this news related to 'Franchise'
• Baskin-Robbins Franchise Opportunities Available In San Diego - Yahoo Finance
  CANTON, Mass., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Baskin-Robbins, the world's largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, is offering San Diego residents the exclusive scoop on how to own their very own Baskin-Robbins franchise. The company is ... Read more on this news related to 'Franchise'
• Patriots announce Welker signs $9.5 million franchise tender _ week after the receiver did - Washington Post
  FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots have announced that Wes Welker has signed a franchise tender contract. The team’s announcement comes about a week after Welker posted on his Twitter account that he inked the $9.5 million deal that comes ... Read more on this news related to 'Franchise'