What is Carte Blanche?
When someone is given carte blanche, it means the person can do whatever he or she likes. The term may be used to describe a variety of situations; for example, someone might offer to pay for dinner, saying that guests have “carte blanche” to order whatever they please. In certain situations, carte blanche makes sense, since it empowers someone to act quickly at his or her own discretion. In other instances, carte blanche can be extremely hazardous, and some people use the term disparagingly to talk about things like poorly written laws which do not clearly define acts which would be considered illegal. A closely related term is “blank check.” Carte blanche is actually French for “blank ticket,” and the two terms are often used interchangeably. The term originates from the 1700s, when it is was used to mean “full discretionary power,” often in politics. As one might imagine, politicians with carte blanche can make some unfortunate decisions, which is why most nations have systems of ch
As one of the theories you heard implies, “carte blanche” is originally from the French, where it literally means “blank paper.” The term “carte blanche” was probably of military origin, meaning an agreement of unconditional surrender submitted by the loser to the victor consisting of a sheet of paper blank except for the defeated commander’s signature, signifying that the victor could fill in his own terms. “Carte blanche” first appeared in English in this literal sense around 1700, but by later in the 18th century was being used in its modern “do whatever is necessary” sense.
New for 2006/2007, the Carte Blanche Plan allows unlimited visits to the DeCew Dining Hall, with no restrictions on weekly meal counts. This allows students to visit the dining hall whenever they wish for either complete meals or lighter snacks, without the worry of meal counts. Make it Flex for maximum flexibility!
