Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CARTE BLANCHE
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Carte blanche is total freedom. Complete control. Permission to do things your way.
If you've got carte blanche, then you're unte____ed, or completely set free from any metaphorical ropes (like rules, regulations, or checks and balances).
make your point with...
"CARTE BLANCHE"
French for "white paper," carte blanche is permission to do anything you want. It's as if someone has given you a blank piece of paper and told you write down all your demands.
Pronunciation:
CART BLONSH
Part of speech:
It's a noun, but a weird one.
First, you don't make "carte blanche" plural, so don't say "carte blanches" or "cartes blanche."
Second, you don't use "a" or "the" before it. Just talk about having or giving carte blanche.
Third, because carte blanche is something you either have or don't have, you don't qualify it: you don't say things like "some carte blanche," "more carte blanche," or "a lot of carte blanche."
Other common forms:
None, but some folks use the term like an adjective: "a carte blanche statement," "carte blanche ability." I don't recommend this because it tends to be awkward or redundant. "Carte blanche authority," for example, is redundant. But if you must make this term an adjective, do like TIME did and hyphenate it for clarity: "carte-blanche carnage."
How to use it:
Talk about giving carte blanche or having carte blanche, often to do something: "removing the regulations gives the companies carte blanche;" "the companies have carte blanche to set prices as high as they want."
Notice how we often use an indirect object here and talk about giving someone carte blanche: "to give him carte blanche," "this gives her carte blanche," "even being the president doesn't give you carte blanche."
Though carte blanche is usually something you either have or give, you can also assume carte blanche, expect carte blanche, demand carte blanche, refuse carte blanche, etc.
Although "carte blanche" doesn't take "a" or "the," you can use "this" or "that" before it to point to an idea you've recently mentioned: "He's been given complete academic freedom, but this carte blanche may soon be revoked."
examples:
Our president-elect has carte blanche to hire a team of over 4,000 people.
As an artist, you set aside society's expectations and give yourself carte blanche to create.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "carte blanche" means when you can explain it without saying "total control" or "no holds barred."
try it out:
Who's so successful or respected that they can do whatever they want now? Fill in the blanks: "Having (achieved something), (Person) has carte blanche as a/an (type of person)."
Example: "Having dominated the children's literature industry and captivated a generation of adults as well, J. K. Rowling has carte blanche as an author."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
This month, we're playing with KWIKORD, an addictive, challenging new word game for solo or group play, created by Wayne Ellice.
We're dipping our toes into the game this month, trying some simple challenges first and working our way toward harder tasks. (Check out my interview with the game's creator here, and order your own copy of the full version of KWIKORD here.) You'll see a sample answer to each puzzle the following day. Enjoy!
Yesterday, you took the letters FRKTAEI and arranged them into words to fill the perimeter of a 4x4 grid. Many solutions were possible. Here are two:
Try that again today with the letters DLMYAEU. Draw three vertical and three horizontal lines on some scrap paper, and go for it!
review today's word:
1. The opposite of CARTE BLANCHE is
A. REWIRING
B. RETRACTIONS
C. RESTRICTIONS
2. Looking at _____, I guess previous speakers assumed carte blanche.
A. these firmly-worded notes about the time limitation and off-limits topics
B. this demographics breakdown for the audience members
C. this email about how much I would be paid and when
Answers are below.
a final word:
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. C
2. A
Carte blanche is total freedom. Complete control. Permission to do things your way.
"CARTE BLANCHE" French for "white paper," carte blanche is permission to do anything you want. It's as if someone has given you a blank piece of paper and told you write down all your demands. Part of speech:
Our president-elect has carte blanche to hire a team of over 4,000 people.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "carte blanche" means when you can explain it without saying "total control" or "no holds barred."
Who's so successful or respected that they can do whatever they want now? Fill in the blanks: "Having (achieved something), (Person) has carte blanche as a/an (type of person)."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of CARTE BLANCHE is
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
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