Carte blanche is a complete freedom of action. What is the meaning of this word?

The use of foreign words and expressions has already become a part of our life. In modern society, there are increasingly frequent statements that can not always be interpreted without special knowledge. One such expression is "carte blanche". What is this concept, in what cases is its use appropriate, what is its origin?

Disclosure of the concept

So, let's define the meaning of the word "carte blanche". If you look at the dictionaries of the Russian language (encyclopedic, financial, Ozhegova, Efremova), then the interpretations are quite analogous.

According to most sources, carte blanche is a blank form signed by an authorized person who gives another person the advantage of filling out this document with text. To give carte blanche in a figurative sense - to give someone unlimited opportunities, perfect freedom of action.

This term means unlimited possibilities that the principal has the opportunity to transfer to a trusted person that business operations can be performed on his behalf. In a broader sense, such an expression is the concept of absolute freedom or the unlimited right to perform any action at its own discretion.

For the expression "carte blanche", the value for one of the versions is an empty check, which can be filled by its owner.

History of the origin of expression

According to the French translation, carte blanche is an "empty form".

There is a version that the expression appeared in France a long time ago, and as if this form was given to certain representatives of the French nobility as a symbol of the exclusive trust of the king, representing a blank sheet of the document with the signature and the personal seal of the sovereign. Filling in his own hand such a paper, its owner had the opportunity to make and receive almost everything he wanted, in the name of His Majesty.

Carte blanche is in a literal translation a white or blank card. According to another version, carte blanche (in French) is a so-called white credit card. These cards issue large stores, allowing customers with such credit cards to pay all their own purchases made at this outlet exclusively at the end of the month. Another version of carte blanche is a signed bank check without specifying the amount.

Eating in everyday life

In Russian, they often say "give carte blanche", which means to allow to act on personal discretion, to provide unlimited opportunities, complete independence of actions. The use of this expression is possible both in everyday life and in business circles.

For example, if you say that someone is given carte blanche, this will mean giving an individual freedom of action.

Correct and incorrect use

It should be noted that it is often permissible to hear that someone is given a full carte blanche. The word "full" in this case is superfluous, since carte blanche already means unlimited powers. Therefore, with the expression "to give carte blanche" it is erroneous and unacceptable to use adjectives "full", "absolute" and their synonyms.

An example of the correct use of the phrase: "The director gave me a carte blanche for the development of a new project."

An example of misuse: "The manager gave me a full carte blanche for the implementation of a new project."

By the way, it is worth noting that in French this expression is used in the form of a feminine gender, but in Russian it is used in the form of a male. Writing these words also differs: in Russian it is written through a hyphen, and in French - separately.