licence to print money en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Often attributed to Lew Grade, and notably used by Roy Thompson of Scottish Television around 1956.
Meanings
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see licence, to, print, money.
-
(colloquial, idiomatic) A means of generating a large income with little effort.
Owning a machine tool plant, it was said, was almost as good as a license to print money.
1953, United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance, Buford Rowland, William B. Boyd, U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance in World War II:More competition means ITV's glory days are long gone - and the new company's bosses know they will have to fight hard to regain the old licence to print money.
2003 October 1, BBC News, “ITV: From Take Your Pick to Popstars”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):the rather casual remark of Lord Thomson, referring to his holding in Scottish Television, that the television contract was 'a licence to print money' was much quoted
1960, Institute of Economic Affairs (Great Britain), Hobart papers:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| license to print money | alternative | lexicographic | |
| licences to print money | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
print money · laughing all the way to the bank
Translations (1)
de Gelddruckmaschine (means of generating large income)