enfranchise — en·fran·chise /in fran ˌchīz/ vt chised, chis·ing: to grant franchise to; esp: to admit to the privileges of a citizen and esp. to voting rights the Twenty sixth Amendment enfranchised all citizens over 18 years of age compare emancipate Merriam… … Law dictionary
enfranchise — [en fran′chīz΄, infran′chīz΄] vt. enfranchised, enfranchising [ME enfraunchisen < OFr enfranchiss , stem of enfranchir, to set free, enfranchise < en , in + franchir, to set free < franc: see FRANK1] 1. to free from slavery, bondage,… … English World dictionary
enfranchise — early 15c., to set free, from O.Fr. enfranchiss , prp. stem of enfranchir to set or make free; grant a franchise to; from en make, put in (see EN (Cf. en ) (1)) + franc free (see FRANCHISE (Cf. franchise)). Meaning to admit to membership in a… … Etymology dictionary
enfranchise — emancipate, manumit, *free, release, liberate, deliver, discharge … New Dictionary of Synonyms
enfranchise — [v] set free citizenize, emancipate, empower, free, give rights to, grant citizenship to, liberate, manumit, naturalize, release; concept 110 Ant. enslave … New thesaurus
enfranchise — ► VERB 1) give the right to vote to. 2) historical free (a slave). DERIVATIVES enfranchisement noun … English terms dictionary
enfranchise — [[t]ɪnfræ̱ntʃaɪz[/t]] enfranchises, enfranchising, enfranchised VERB To enfranchise someone means to give them the right to vote in elections. [FORMAL] [V n] The company voted to enfranchise its 120 women members... [V n] If the city s foreign… … English dictionary
enfranchise — UK [ɪnˈfræntʃaɪz] / US [ɪnˈfrænˌtʃaɪz] verb [transitive] Word forms enfranchise : present tense I/you/we/they enfranchise he/she/it enfranchises present participle enfranchising past tense enfranchised past participle enfranchised 1) to give… … English dictionary
enfranchise — transitive verb ( chised; chising) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French enfranchiss , stem of enfranchir, from en + franc free more at frank Date: 15th century 1. to set free (as from slavery) 2. to endow with a franchise: as a. to admit… … New Collegiate Dictionary
enfranchise — enfranchisement /en fran chuyz meuhnt, chiz /, n. enfranchiser, n. /en fran chuyz/, v.t., enfranchised, enfranchising. 1. to grant a franchise to; admit to citizenship, esp. to the right of voting. 2. to endow (a city, constituency, etc.) with… … Universalium
