Meaning
In British English, an off-licence is a shop that sells alcoholic drinks for customers to take away rather than drink on the premises.
How it is used
Cambridge Dictionary labels off-licence as UK English and defines it as a shop mainly selling alcoholic drinks to be taken away. Collins independently records the British shop sense and contrasts it with American liquor store or package store. In ordinary British directions, the word identifies the kind of shop rather than describing a bar or pub.
Examples
- “There's an off-licence just around the corner.”
- “We stopped at the off-licence before heading back to the hotel.”
- “The nearest off-licence is on the high street.”
Pronunciation
/ˈɒfˌlaɪ.səns/ · OFF-ly-suhns
Tone and register
Neutral and practical in British English. Off-licence is a standard retail term, not London slang, though informal shortened forms such as offie also exist.
Visitor guidance
Visitors can understand off-licence as broadly equivalent to a liquor store. Do not assume the word means that alcohol can be consumed inside the shop. Licensing hours, age restrictions, local rules, and what a particular shop is allowed to sell are legal and operational matters that can change, so use current official information for those questions.
Cultural context
Off-licence is useful visitor vocabulary because it appears in British conversation, local directions, shop descriptions, and news. The word reflects the distinction between alcohol sold for consumption away from the premises and alcohol sold for consumption on the premises, but Maperla treats it here as a language term rather than legal guidance.
Places represented
Open the reviewed place guide for each regional sense carried by this canonical entry.