Skip to Content
English Club : Learn English : Vocabulary
Vocabulary : Idioms : Quizzes : Mixed 7 : carte blanche

< Previous | Next >

carte blanche Formal

Meaning: If you give someone carte blanche, you give them freedom to do whatever they want in a situation.

For example:

  • The boss has given us carte blanche to redecorate the offices.

  • The president gave his generals carte blanche to fight the war however they wished.

Origin: Originally borrowed from French. A literal translation would be "white (or blank) paper".

Quick Quiz:

He was given carte blanche to teach the new staff
  1. exactly the way he was told to
  2. according to the guidelines
  3. using whatever methods he liked

This entry is in the following categories: