let

[[t]le̱t[/t]]

♦

lets, letting

(The form let is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle.)

1) VERB If you let something happen, you allow it to happen without doing anything to stop or prevent it.

[V n inf] People said we were interfering with nature, and that we should just let the animals die...

[V n inf] Thorne let him talk...

[V n inf] She let the door slam...

[V pron-refl inf] I can't let myself be distracted by those things.

2) VERB If you let someone do something, you give them your permission to do it.

[V n inf] I love sweets but Mum doesn't let me have them very often...

[V n inf] The Americans won't let her leave the country...

[V n prep/adv] Visa or no visa, they won't let you into the country.

3) VERB If you let someone into, out of, or through a place, you allow them to enter, leave, or go through it, for example by opening a door or making room for them.

[V n prep/adv] I had to get up at seven o'clock this morning to let them into the building because they had lost their keys.

[V n prep/adv] I let myself into the flat...

[V n prep/adv] I'd better go and let the dog out...

[V n prep/adv] The guards were removing a section of fencing to let it through.

4) VERB: only imper You use let me when you are introducing something you want to say.

[V me inf] Let me say it again. I despised Wade's life...

[V me inf] Let me tell you what I saw last night...

[V me inf] Let me explain why...

[V me inf] Let me give you one quick example.

5) VERB: only imper (politeness) You use let me when you are offering politely to do something.

[V me inf] Let me take your coat...

[V me inf] Let me get you something to drink.

6) VERB: only imper You say let's or, in more formal English, let us, to direct the attention of the people you are talking to towards the subject that you want to consider next.

[V us inf] Let's consider ways of making it easier...

[V us inf] Let us look at these views in more detail.

7) VERB: only imper You say let's or, in formal English, let us, when you are making a suggestion that involves both you and the person you are talking to, or when you are agreeing to a suggestion of this kind.

[V us inf] I'm bored. Let's go home...

[V's] `Shall we go in and have some supper?' - `Yes, let's.'

8) VERB: only imper (politeness) Someone in authority, such as a teacher, can use let's or, in more formal English, let us, in order to give a polite instruction to another person or group of people.

[V us inf] Let's have some hush, please...

[V us inf] `Let us pray,' said the Methodist chaplain.

9) VERB (vagueness) People often use let in expressions such as let me see or let me think when they are hesitating or thinking of what to say next.

[V pron inf] Now, let's see. Where did I leave my bag?...

[V pron inf] `How long you been living together then?' - `Erm, let me think. It's about four years now.'

10) VERB: only imper You can use let to say that you do not care if someone does something, although you think it is unpleasant or wrong.

[V n inf] If he wants to do that, let him do it...

[V n inf] Let them talk about me; I'll be dead, anyway...

[V n inf] `She'll kill you.' - `Let her try.'

11) VERB: only imper You can use let when you are saying what you think someone should do, usually when they are behaving in a way that you think is unreasonable or wrong.

[V n inf] Let him get his own cup of tea...

[V n inf] If they value these data, let them pay for them.

12) VERB: only imper You can use let when you are praying or hoping very much that something will happen.

[V n inf] Please God, let him telephone me.

13) VERB: only imper You can use let to introduce an assumption on which you are going to base a theory, calculation, or story.

[V n inf] Let us assume that two golfers, Golfer A and Golfer B, are in contention for a club championship...

[V n inf] The new man in my life (let's call him Dave) had a very jealous ex-girlfriend.

14) VERB If you let your house or land to someone, you allow them to use it in exchange for money that they pay you regularly. [mainly BRIT]

[V n to n] She is thinking of letting her house to an American serviceman...

[V n] The reasons for letting a house, or part of one, are varied.

Syn:

rent out

PHRASAL VERB

Let out means the same as .

V n P I couldn't sell the London flat, so I let it out to pay the mortgage... V P n (not pron) Home owners who have extra space available may want to let out a room.

(in AM, use <

15) N-COUNT In tennis or badminton, if you serve a let, the ball or shuttlecock touches the net but lands in the correct part of the court. You then serve again.

16) PHR-CONJ-COORD (emphasis) Let alone is used after a statement, usually a negative one, to indicate that the statement is even more true of the person, thing, or situation that you are going to mention next.

It is incredible that the 12-year-old managed to even reach the pedals, let alone drive the car.

Syn:

never mind

17) PHRASE: let inflects To let someone be means to leave them alone and not interfere in what they are doing.

If your child is really sick and needs sleep and quiet, let him be.

18) PHRASE: let inflects, oft PHR of n If you let go of someone or something, you stop holding them.

She let go of Mona's hand and took a sip of her drink...

She held the photos with the determined grip of a small child and wouldn't let go.

19) PHRASE: let inflects, oft PHR of n If you let go of a feeling, attitude, or the control that you have over something, you accept that you should give it up or that it should no longer influence you.

In therapy, she began to let go of her obsession with Mike...

The work should focus on helping parents to let go of their children.

20) PHRASE: let inflects If you let someone or something go, you allow them to leave or escape.

They held him for three hours and they let him go...

I'm quite happy really to net a fish and then let it go.

21) PHRASE: let inflects When someone leaves a job, either because they are told to or because they want to, the employer sometimes says that they are letting that person go.

I've assured him I have no plans to let him go...

Peterson was let go after less than two years.

22) PHRASE: let inflects If someone says or does something that you think is annoying or stupid and you let it go, you do not react to it or say anything about it.

Let it go, he thought. He didn't feel like arguing.

23) PHRASE: let inflects If you let yourself go, you relax and behave much more freely than usual.

Stop worrying about what you're feeling. Let yourself go.

24) PHRASE: let inflects If someone lets themselves go, they pay less attention to themselves or their appearance than they used to, so that they look untidy or unattractive.

If you have let yourself go, you should consider doing something about it for the sake of your health.

25) PHRASE: V inflects, usu with brd-neg, PHR n If you say that you did not know what you were letting yourself in for when you decided to do something, you mean you did not realize how difficult, unpleasant, or expensive it was going to be.

He got the impression that Miss Hawes had no idea of what she was letting herself in for...

I realized I'd let myself in for something from which there was no turning back.

26) PHRASE: let inflects, oft PHR that/wh, PHR n, PHR about n If you let someone know something, you tell them about it or make sure that they know about it.

They want to let them know that they are safe...

If you do want to go, please let me know.

27) PHRASE: let inflects If you let drop, let fall, or let slip information, you reveal it casually or by accident, during a conversation about something else.

How could she know about that? He'd certainly never let drop any hint...

He might have let something slip in a moment of weakness.

28) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR in/on n If you say that someone has been let loose in a place or situation, you mean that they have been given complete freedom to do what they like in that place or situation, and you suggest that this may be risky.

She has all the glee of a little girl let loose in a sweetie shop...

Trainees go through a four-hour lesson before they are let loose on the controls.

29) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n If someone lets loose a sound or remark, they make it, often suddenly.

He let loose a long, deep sigh...

Hill let loose a torrent of abuse against those who prosecuted his case.

30) to let fly → see fly

to let your hair down → see hair

to let someone off the hook → see hook

to let it be known → see known

to live and let live → see live

to let the side down → see side

to let off steam → see steam

Phrasal Verbs:

- let down

- let in

- let in on

- let into

- let off

- let on

- let out

- let up

- let up on