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off-license

American  
[awf-lahy-suhns, of-] / ˈɔfˌlaɪ səns, ˈɒf- /
Or off-licence

noun

  1. a license permitting the sale of sealed bottles of alcoholic beverages to be taken away from the premises by the purchaser.

  2. a store having such a license.


adjective

  1. having such a license.

Etymology

Origin of off-license

First recorded in 1890–95


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.

See Examples For:

The company spent £500,000 creating the pub and adjoining off-license, hiring eight additional staff members.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

She chose the cool bottles by feel in the dark little off-license nook, beyond a curtain of plastic strips, because she could hardly see in there; her eyes were dazzled from the light outside.

From The New Yorker ● Jul. 2, 2012

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