LET Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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let

[let]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

let, letting

to allow or permit.
If we let him escape, he'll lead us to the boss.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms:
to allow to pass, go, or come.
The gap is too narrow to let the car through.
to grant the occupancy or use of (land, buildings, rooms, space, etc., or movable property) for rent or hire (sometimes followed byout ).
The family lets out their spare room in the summer for extra money.
Synonyms: , , ,
to contract or assign for performance, usually under a contract.
They let work to a local carpenter for the repairs.
to cause to; make.
You must let her know the truth of your circumstances if you want to marry her.
(used in the imperative as an auxiliary expressive of a request, command, warning, suggestion, etc.).
Let me see. Let us go. Just let them try it!

verb (used without object)

let, letting

to be rented or leased.
The apartment lets for $250 per week.

noun

British.��a lease.

verb phrase

1. to slacken; diminish; abate.
  This heat wave should let up by the end of the week.
2. to cease; stop.
  The rain let up for a few hours.
1. to divulge; make known.
2. to release from confinement, restraint, etc.
3. to enlarge (a garment).
4. to terminate; be finished; end.
  When does the university let out for the summer?
5. to make (a let-out fur or pelt).
to treat less severely; be more lenient with.
He refused to let up on the boy until his grades improved.
1. to admit.
2. to involve (a person) in something without their knowledge or permission.
  to let someone in for a loss.
3. Also let into. to insert into the surface of (a wall or the like) as a permanent addition.
  to let a plaque into a wall.
4. Also let in on. to share a secret with; permit to participate in.
1. to reveal one's true feelings.
  She was terrified at the prospect, but didn't let on.
2. to pretend.
  They let on that they didn't care about not being invited, but I could tell that they were hurt.
1. to release by exploding.
2. to free from duty or responsibility; excuse.
3. to allow to go with little or no punishment; pardon.
  The judge let off the youthful offender with a reprimand.
1. to disappoint; fail.
2. to betray; desert.
3. to slacken; abate.
  We were too near success to let down in our efforts.
4. to allow to descend slowly; lower.
5. Aeronautics��(of an airplane) to descend from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or a similar maneuver.

let

[let]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(in tennis, badminton, etc.) any play that is voided and must be replayed, especially a service that hits the net and drops into the proper part of the opponent's court.
Chiefly Law.��an impediment or obstacle.
to act without let or hindrance.

verb (used with object)

letted, let, letting.

Archaic.��to hinder, prevent, or obstruct.

-let

a diminutive suffix attached to nouns (booklet; piglet; ringlet ), and, by extraction from bracelet, a suffix denoting a band, piece of jewelry, or article of clothing worn on the part of the body specified by the noun (anklet; wristlet ).

let

/ ��ɛ�� /

verb

to permit; allow
she lets him roam around
(imperative or dependent imperative)
1. used as an auxiliary to express a request, proposal, or command, or to convey a warning or threat
  let's get on
  just let me catch you here again!
2. (in mathematical or philosophical discourse) used as an auxiliary to express an assumption or hypothesis
  let "a" equal "b"
3. used as an auxiliary to express resigned acceptance of the inevitable
  let the worst happen
1. to allow the occupation of (accommodation) in return for rent
2. to assign (a contract for work)
to allow or cause the movement of (something) in a specified direction
to let air out of a tyre
informal��to utter
to let a cry
1. (conjunction) much less; not to mention
  I can't afford wine, let alone champagne
2. to refrain from annoying or interfering with
  let the poor cat alone
See go 1
1. to set free
2. informal��to make (a sound or remark) suddenly
  he let loose a hollow laugh
3. informal��to discharge (rounds) from a gun or guns
  they let loose a couple of rounds of ammunition

noun

the act of letting property or accommodation
the majority of new lets are covered by the rent regulations

let

/ ��ɛ�� /

noun

an impediment or obstruction (esp in the phrase without let or hindrance )
tennis squash
1. a minor infringement or obstruction of the ball, requiring a point to be replayed
2. the point so replayed

verb

archaic��(tr) to hinder; impede

-let

suffix

small or lesser
booklet
starlet
an article of attire or ornament worn on a specified part of the body
anklet

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Usage

Let us is used in all varieties of speech and writing to introduce a suggestion or a request: Let us consider all the facts before deciding. The contracted form let's occurs mostly in informal speech and writing: Let's go. Let's not think about that right now. Perhaps because let's has come to be felt as a word in its own right rather than as the contraction of let us, it is often followed in informal speech and writing by redundant or appositional pronouns: Let's us plan a picnic. Let's you and I (or me ) get together tomorrow. Both Let's you and me and Let's you and I occur in the relaxed speech of educated speakers. The former conforms to the traditional rules of grammar; the latter, nonetheless, occurs more frequently. See also leave ¹.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of let¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English leten, Old English ��ǣ�ٲ��; cognate with Dutch laten, German lassen, Old Norse ��ٲ�, Gothic ��ŧ�ٲ��; akin to Greek ��ŧ��î�� “to be weary,” Latin lassus “t��”; late

Origin of let²

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb letten, Old English lettan, derivative of ��æ�� “slow, tardy”; cognate with Old Norse letja “to hinder”; noun derivative of the verb; late

Origin of let³

Middle English -let, -lette < Middle French -elet, equivalent to -el (< Latin -��, neuter of -�� -al ¹ ( bracelet ) or < Latin -ellus diminutive suffix; -elle, chaplet ) + -et -et

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of let¹

Old English ��ǣ�ٲ�� to permit; related to Gothic ��ŧ�ٲ��, German lassen

Origin of let²

Old English lettan to hinder, from ��æ�� _late ; related to Old Norse letja

Origin of let³

from Old French -elet, from Latin -��, neuter of adj suffix -�� or from Latin -ellus, diminutive suffix

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

let go. go.
let be,
1. to refrain from interference.
2. to refrain from interfering with.
let well enough alone. alone.
let alone,
1. not to mention.
  He was too tired to walk, let alone run.
2. Also leave alone to refrain from annoying or interfering with.
let someone have it, to attack or assault, as by striking, shooting, or rebuking.
The gunman threatened to let the teller have it if he didn't move fast.

In addition to the idioms beginning with let, also see blow (let) off steam; give (let) someone have his or her head; (let someone) have it; live and let live. Also see under leave.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

MacKinnon is fact-checking Didion in real time, refusing to let her apply her fearsome talent for story-spinning to her own life.

From

She claimed it was from an accident in the kitchen, but her cowering posture, downcast eyes and hesitant responses to basic questions suggested there was more to her visit than she was letting on.

From

A security guard insisted their visit was not related to immigration, saying: "This is not ICE. We would never let ICE in here."

From

Sometimes people do ask me, “Was there any part of you that was like, ‘Hey, let’s not have Joel die?’”

From

During my many interviews about the disorder, I heard psychiatrists describe bipolar patients as "ghosts in the system", "the ones that fell through the cracks" and simply as "forgotten" or "let down".

From

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When To Use

What are other ways to say��let?

To let someone do something or let something happen is to allow or permit it. How is let used differently from allow and permit? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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