vrijbrief

Dutch

Etymology

vrij 'free' + brief 'letter, document'

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

vrijbrief m (plural vrijbrieven, diminutive vrijbriefje n)

1. a written permit; originally, a historical license granted by a state to a freebooter to pirate non-allied states' ship
2. (figuratively) a free hand

Synonyms

• (freebooters licence) kaperbrief, kapersbrief