let

let¹

verb (lets, letting; past and past participle let)

1》 not prevent or forbid; allow.

2》 used in the imperative to express an intention, proposal, or instruction: let's have a drink.

3》 used to express an assumption upon which a theory or calculation is to be based: let A and B stand for X and Y.

4》 chiefly Brit. allow someone to use (a room or property) in return for payment.

5》 award (a contract) to an applicant.

noun Brit. a period during which a room or property is rented: a short let.

Phrases

let alone not to mention.

let someone/thing be stop interfering with someone or something.

let something fall Geometry draw a perpendicular from an outside point to a line.

let fly attack.

let oneself go

1》 act in an uninhibited way.

2》 become careless or untidy in one's habits or appearance.

let someone/thing go

1》 allow someone or something to go free.

2》 euphemistic dismiss an employee.

3》 (also let go or let go of) relinquish one's grip on someone or something.

let someone have it informal attack someone.

to let available for rent.

Phrasal verbs

let down (of an aircraft) descend prior to making a landing.

let someone down fail to support or help someone.

↘(let someone/thing down) have a detrimental effect on someone or something.

let oneself in for informal involve oneself in (something difficult or unpleasant).

let someone in on/into allow someone to know (something secret).

let something into set something back into (a surface).

let someone off

1》 refrain from punishing someone.

2》 excuse someone from a task or obligation.

let something off cause a gun, firework, or bomb to fire or explode.

let on informal

1》 divulge information.

2》 pretend.

let someone out release someone from obligation or suspicion.

let something out

1》 utter a sound or cry.

2》 make a garment looser or larger.

3》 reveal information.

let up informal become less intense.

↘relax one's efforts.

Derivatives

letting noun

Origin

OE ltan 'leave behind, leave out', of Gmc origin; related to late.

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let²

noun (in racket sports) a circumstance under which a service is nullified and has to be retaken, especially (in tennis) when the ball clips the top of the net and falls within bounds.

verb (lets, letting; past and past participle letted or let) archaic hinder.

Phrases

play a let (in racket sports) play a point again because the ball or one of the players has been obstructed.

without let or hindrance formal without obstruction; freely.

Origin

OE lettan 'hinder', of Gmc origin; related to late.