off licence, off-licence
[off a. 5.]
A shop or other establishment where alcoholic liquors are sold for consumption off the premises; also, a licence permitting such sales. Also attrib. Hence off-licensed ppl. a.; off-licensee.
| 1891 Leeds Merc. 22 Sept. 7 Five beer houses ‘on’ and six ‘off’ licenses. 1892 W. B. Kingston Intemperance 61 A circumstance entirely due to the competition of the ‘off’ licensee. 1892 Daily News 31 Oct. 3/2 Three big gin palaces and a swarm of off-licensed houses. 1897 Ibid. 28 Aug. 6/4 Four new off-licences were granted by the magistrates. 1907 Daily Chron. 16 Apr. 3/6 The number of off-license [sic] premises at the beginning of 1906 was 25,281. 1959 J. Braine Vodi iv. 55 It was an off-licence, very cool and smelling both earthy and antiseptic, with overtones of stale beer and tobacco. 1961 E. A. Powdrill Vocab. Land Planning iii. 42 To double the population is to increase considerably the range of shops that are required, for instance, cafes, off-licences, ladies' shops, etc. 1971 Oxford Times 15 Oct. 9 (Advt.), From our off-licensed branches. Guinness—small cans. 9p. 1975 J. Aiken Voices in Empty House iii. 105 The old lady tottering..to the off-licence on the corner. 1978 Morecambe Guardian 14 Mar. 4/1 (Advt.), We cordially invite all Hoteliers Restaurateurs Off-Licensees, etc. to visit our new Wines & Spirits department. |