franchise

Definitions

• The right to vote at a public election or referendum; see: suffrage, suffragette.
• A right or privilege officially granted to a person, a group of people, or a company by a government.
• An acknowledgment of a corporation's existence and ownership.
• The authorization granted by a company to sell or distribute its goods or services in a certain area.
• A business operating under such authorization, a franchisee.
• A legal exemption from jurisdiction.
• The membership of a corporation or state; citizenship.
• The district or jurisdiction to which a particular privilege extends; the limits of an immunity; hence, an asylum or sanctuary.
• (sports) The collection of organizations in the history of a sports team; the tradition of a sports team as an entity, extending beyond the contemporary organization.
• (business) The positive influence on the buying behavior of customers exerted by the reputation of a company or a brand.
• The loose collection of fictional works pertaining to a particular universe, including literary, film or television series from various sources.
• Exemption from constraint or oppression; freedom; liberty.
• (obsolete) Magnanimity; generosity; liberality; frankness; nobility.