carte
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia.
à la carte
Available to be purchased individually instead of bundled with other items. Most often describes items on a menu that are not part of a main dish. I wasn't very hungry, so I opted to buy a few side items à la carte instead of a full meal. Don't let the kids know that they can get dessert à la carte because then they won't eat anything for dinner! Do you have to have a membership, or can you just take a few classes à la carte?
carte blanche
The freedom to do whatever one wants or deems necessary, especially with a particular task or assignment. From French, literally "blank card." I can't believe the boss gave me carte blanche to organize the conference—he's usually such a micro-manager! Look, just because I'm giving you some flexibility in how to complete the assignment doesn't mean you have carte blanche to do whatever you like. That project has needed an overhaul for a long time, so I'm glad Janet was given carte blanche to restructure it.
give (one) carte blanche
To give one the freedom to do whatever one wants or deems necessary, especially with a particular task or assignment. This French phrase means "blank card" in English. I can't believe the boss gave me carte blanche to organize the conference—he's usually such a micromanager! Yes, you have some flexibility in how to complete the assignment, but that doesn't mean I'm giving you carte blanche to do whatever you like. That project has needed an overhaul for a long time, so I'm glad Janet was given carte blanche to restructure it.
have carte blanche
To have the freedom to do whatever one wants or deems necessary, especially with a particular task or assignment. The phrase "carte blanche" comes from French, literally meaning "blank card." I can't believe we have carte blanche to organize the conference. The boss is usually such a micro-manager about these things! Look, just because I'm giving you some flexibility in how to complete the assignment doesn't mean you have carte blanche to do whatever you like. That project has needed an overhaul for a long time, so I'm glad Janet finally has carte blanche to restructure it.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*carte blanche
Fig. freedom or permission to act as one wishes or thinks necessary. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) He's been given carte blanche with the reorganization of the workforce. The manager has been given no instructions about how to train the staff. He has carte blanche from the owner.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
ˌcarte ˈblanche (to do something)
(from French) complete freedom or authority to do anything you like: The detective was given carte blanche to read any files he liked in his search for the murderer.The French expression means ‘blank paper’ on which somebody could write their own conditions for an agreement.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
carte blanche
Complete freedom, unlimited power. The term is French for “blank paper,” used in the same sense as “blank check”—that is, anything may be filled in. In the 1600s it was used in the military for unconditional surrender. After World War I it was broadened to civilian contexts, such as “He’s the best mechanic we have; the boss gave him carte blanche to handle all the repairs.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer