let
35 ENTRIES FOUND:
- let (verb)
- let (noun)
- -let (noun suffix)
- let's
- alone (adverb)
- bag (noun)
- be (verb)
- bygones (noun)
- cat (noun)
- chip (noun)
- course (noun)
- dog (noun)
- down (adverb)
- face (verb)
- fall (verb)
- fly (verb)
- foot (noun)
- grass (noun)
- hair (noun)
- hang (verb)
- know (verb)
- lie (verb)
- live (verb)
- loose (adjective)
- nature (noun)
- rest (verb)
- ride (verb)
- rip (verb)
- roll (verb)
- see (verb)
- side (noun)
- sleep (verb)
- slide (verb)
- slip (verb)
- steam (noun)
lets;
let;
letting
lets;
let;
letting
Britannica Dictionary definition of LET
1
[+ object]
:
to allow or permit (someone or something) to do something
-
Let them go.
-
I'll be happy to help you if you'll let me (help you).
-
A break in the clouds let us see the summit. [=made it possible for us to see the summit]
-
Don't let this opportunity slip away!
-
Let me see the bruise.
-
I don't believe in letting children do whatever they want to do. = I don't believe that people should let children do whatever they want to do.
-
My philosophy is “Live and let live.” [=live your life as you choose and let other people do the same]
Usage
Let is followed by a verb that has the form of the infinitive without to.
Let is never used as be let; use be allowed or be permitted instead.
-
They let him speak. [=they allowed/permitted him to speak]
-
They let him speak. [=he was allowed/permitted by them to speak]
2
[+ object]
a
— used in speech when you are making a polite offer to help someone
-
Let me help you with those packages. [=I would be happy to help you with those packages]
-
Let me do that for you.
b
— used to introduce a polite statement or request
-
Let me begin by saying how happy I am to see you here today. [=I want to begin by saying how happy I am to see you]
-
Please let me know [=tell me] what you decide.
c
formal
— used to introduce a command
— sometimes used figuratively in a way that is not formal
-
“The ambassadors have arrived, your Majesty.” “Let them not wait a moment longer; let them enter at once.”
-
Let there be music and laughter!
-
Let it rain all day—I don't care.
d
— used to express a warning
-
Just let her try to do it again! [=she will be in trouble if she tries to do it again]
3
a
◊ Let's and (more formally) let us are used to introduce statements that express a wish, request, suggestion, or command.
-
Let's [=let us] hope for the best. [=we should hope for the best]
-
Let's imagine what the world would be like with no war.
-
Let's suppose that he's right. What then?
-
Let's get out of here!
-
Let us all remember [=we should all remember] just how much we have to be thankful for.
-
I'm not calling her a liar. Let's just say that she tends to exaggerate the truth a little.
-
Let's see what's on the menu. = Let's have a look at the menu.
-
“Let's go, shall we?” [=shall we go?] “Yes, let's.”
-
“Let's go.” “No, let's not.”
-
Let's not go. = (Brit) Don't let's go. = (US, informal) Let's don't go.
b
◊ The phrase let's go is used in speech to tell someone to go or work faster.
-
Are you still getting dressed? Let's go! We need to leave in five minutes!
c
◊ The phrase let us pray is used to introduce a prayer.
-
Let us pray. Dear God, we thank you for this day…
d
◊ The phrases let's face it and let's be honest are used to say that something is true and cannot be denied.
-
Let's face it: we need more time.
-
Let's be honest, those two were never right for each other.
4
a
[+ object]
:
to allow someone to use (something) in return for payment
:
rent
-
They have rooms to let. [=rooms that people can rent to live in]
b
[no object]
chiefly British
:
to be rented or leased for a specified amount of money
-
The flat lets [=rents] for 350 pounds a month.
5
always followed by an adverb or preposition,
[+ object]
:
to allow (someone or something) to go, pass by, etc.
-
Let me out!
-
She locked the door and refused to let him in.
-
The guard refused to let us through the gate.
-
Let me through/past! [=let me move through a group of people, past a barrier, etc.]
let alone
1
— used to refer to something that is even less likely or possible than the thing previously mentioned
-
I can barely understand it, let alone explain it.
2
let (someone or something) alone
:
to not bother or touch (someone or something)
-
Let [=(more commonly) leave] your sister alone.
-
All I ask is to be let alone. [=(more commonly) left alone]
-
Would you please let it alone?
-
I never did learn to let well enough alone. [=to leave well enough alone; to stop changing something that is already good enough]
let bygones be bygones
let down
[phrasal verb]
1
let (someone) down
a
:
to fail to give help or support to (someone who needs or expects it)
:
disappoint
— sometimes used figuratively
-
I promised Mary that I'd help her, and I can't let her down.
-
It's my fault we lost the game. I let the team down.
-
He never lets down a friend in need.
-
His judgment let him down. [=his judgment was poor; he made a bad decision]
b
:
to make (someone) unhappy or displeased by not being as good as expected
—
see also letdown
-
The end of the story really let me down. = I felt let down by the end of the story. [=the end of the story was disappointing]
2
◊ To let someone down easy/gently is to give someone unpleasant news in a gentle or kind way.
-
She tried to let him down gently when she told him he didn't get the job.
-
I knew I had to fire her, but I was trying to think of a way to let her down easy.
3
let (something) down
or
let down (something)
a
:
to cause or allow (something) to move down gradually
-
let a bucket down into a well = let down a bucket into a well
b
:
to make (a skirt, a pair of pants, etc.) longer
—
see also let your hair down at hair
-
The pants were a little too short and needed to be let down a little.
let fly
or let fly withlet go
1
or
let (something or someone) go
or
let go of (something or someone)
or
let go (something or someone)
:
to stop holding or gripping something or someone
— often used figuratively
-
I tried to take the ball from him, but he wouldn't let go.
-
She grabbed my hand and refused to let go.
-
He let the rope go. = He let go of the rope. = (less commonly) He let go the rope.
-
When a child grows up and moves away from home, it can be hard for parents to let go. [=to allow the child to live independently; to not be too involved in the child's decisions, actions, etc.]
-
I know she disappointed you, but you need to let the past go and move on with your life. [=you need to stop caring or thinking about the past]
-
You need to let go of the past.
-
She felt she had been treated wrongly, and she wasn't willing to let it go. [=she wasn't willing to forget how she had been treated]
-
You're late. I'll let it go this time, but it had better not happen again.
-
The car is probably worth a lot more, but she agreed to let it go for five thousand dollars. [=she agreed to sell the car for five thousand dollars]
2
or
let (yourself) go
:
to behave in a very free and open way
-
He really lets go when he's out partying with his friends.
-
She has a hard time relaxing and letting herself go.
3
let (someone) go
a
:
to allow (someone who is being held as a slave, prisoner, etc.) to be free
-
They let the prisoner go. = The prisoner was let go.
b
:
to officially make (someone) leave a job
-
The company let him go at the end of the month. = He was let go at the end of the month.
4
let (yourself) go
:
to fail to take care of (yourself)
-
I was very depressed back then and had really let myself go. [=I had stopped taking care of myself]
let it all hang out
informal
:
to show your true feelings
:
to behave in a very free and open way
-
When I'm with my friends, I let it all hang out.
let loose
let me see
or let's see or let me think
— used in speech by someone who is trying to remember something
-
Let me see, where did I put my keys?
-
Let's see, how long did it take last time?
-
What was the name of that restaurant? Let me think. Oh, that's right: “The High Street Café.”
let off
[phrasal verb]
1
let (someone) off
or
let off (someone)
:
to allow (someone) to get off a bus, an airplane, etc.
-
Could you let me off (the bus) at the next stop, please?
-
The bus stopped to let off a few passengers.
2
let (someone) off
:
to allow (someone who has been caught doing something wrong or illegal) to go without being punished
— often used in the phrase let (someone) off the hook
-
The police officer let her off with just a warning.
-
They let him off easy/easily/lightly, if you ask me. [=I do not think he was punished as severely as he could/should have been]
-
If you ask me, they let him off the hook too easily.
3
let off (something)
:
to cause (something) to explode or to be released in a forceful way
—
see also let off (some) steam at 1steam
-
let off [=set off] a firecracker
-
let off pressure
let on
[phrasal verb]
1
let (someone) on
or
let on (someone)
:
to allow (someone) to get on a bus, an airplane, etc.
-
They let passengers with small children on (the airplane) first.
-
The bus stopped to let on a few more passengers.
2
let on
or
let on (something)
informal
:
to tell, admit, or show that you know something
-
He knows a lot more than he lets on.
-
Don't let on that I told you!
-
She was unhappy, but she never let on. = She never let on to anyone that she was unhappy. [=she never showed or told anyone that she was unhappy]
3
US, informal
:
to pretend or seem
-
She's not as happy as she lets on.
let out
[phrasal verb]
1
let (something or someone) out
or
let out (something or someone)
:
to release (something or someone)
—
see also letout
-
She let out a scream. [=she screamed]
-
They let the prisoner out (of prison) for the weekend. = The prisoner was let out for the weekend.
-
Let the clutch out slowly.
2
let (something) out
or
let out (something)
:
to make (a skirt, a pair of pants, etc.) larger
—
opposite take in at 1take
-
The skirt is too tight and needs to be let out a little.
-
let out a pair of pants
3
US, of a school
:
to end a semester, year, or session
-
School lets out in June.
let rip
let sleeping dogs lie
let (someone) have it
informal
:
to attack, punish, or criticize (someone) in a violent or angry way
-
When she found out what they'd been doing, she really let them have it.
let (someone) in on (something)
:
to allow (someone) to know (a secret)
-
He said he'd let me in on a secret if I promised not to tell anyone else.
let (someone) know
let (someone or something) be
:
to not bother or touch (someone or something)
-
Please let [=leave] me be.
let (something) be known
let (something) slip
or let slip (something)let the cat out of the bag
let the grass grow under your feet
let up
[phrasal verb]
1
:
to stop or become slower
—
see also letup
-
Won't this rain ever let up?
-
There's a lot of work still to be done. We can't let up now.
2
let up on (someone)
:
to treat (someone) in a less harsh or demanding way
-
The students might respond better if the teacher let up on [=eased up on] them a little.
3
let up on (something)
:
to apply less pressure to (something)
-
I let up on [=eased up on] the gas pedal.
let (yourself) in for
:
to cause (yourself) to have or experience (something bad or unpleasant)
-
She's letting herself in for a lot of trouble/criticism.
-
When I agreed to help, I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. [=getting myself into]
2
let
/ˈlɛt/
noun
plural
lets
2
let
/ˈlɛt/
noun
plural
lets
Britannica Dictionary definition of LET
[count]
tennis
:
a serve that is not accepted or allowed officially and must be done again
-
The first serve was a let.
without let or hindrance
chiefly British, law
:
without being interfered with
-
They have the right to vote without let or hindrance. [=without anyone making it difficult or impossible for them to vote]
