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blank cheque

British  

noun

  1. a signed cheque on which the amount payable has not been specified

  2. complete freedom of action

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"National security is not a blank cheque to proceed with otherwise unlawful activity," he wrote.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

"But it is not a blank cheque, it is not unconditional," he said.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2024

"It's there so that the government cannot just write a blank cheque," said Las Olsen, chief economist at Danske Bank.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2023

"Over the last couple of years, everybody felt like they have a blank cheque ... in part because rates were so low. Now that interest rates are rising, it gets a bit trickier."

From Reuters • May 17, 2022

No blank cheque could be more adequately filled in, and I never cease wondering what can be the secret of their perfect social mechanism.

From My Impressions of America by Asquith, Margot

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