'American Heritage'...

Synonyms: freedom, liberty, licence.
These nouns refer to the power to act, speak, or think without the imposition of restraint. Freedom is the most general term and preferable when total absence of restraint or lack of restraint in general is meant... Liberty applies especially to individual rights defined by law, and thus suggests absence of specific restrictions. However, freedom is sometimes also used in the narrower sense associated with individual rights. Licence in one sense denotes abuse of freedom; in another it refers to exemption from prevailing rules, granted in special cases.

albeit generalities... but helpful nonetheless...ttr