Carte blanche

Origin of: Carte blanche

Carte blanche

To have carte blanche means to have full discretionary power and dates in this sense from the mid-18th century, borrowed from the French carte blanche meaning white or blank paper, from the allusion that one can write whatever one chooses on a blank piece of paper. Carte blanche is very much like having a blank cheque, for which no explanation is needed. See also Free rein.