- let
- I UK [let] / US
verb
Word forms "let":
present tense I/you/we/they let he/she/it lets present participle letting past tense let past participle let
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1)a) [transitive] to allow something to happenlet someone/something do something:let someone/something do something:I stepped back and let him pass.
Alice's mum won't let her come with us.
let something in/out/through etc:Let your imagination run wild.
Open the windows and let some fresh air into the room.
let someone know (= tell someone):There are holes between the stones that let the wind through.
let yourself:Let us know what time you want us to be there.
She lets herself be talked into all kinds of schemes.
b) used for offering to do somethingHere, let me help you.
2) [intransitive/transitive] to rent a room, flat, house etc to someonelet something to someone:The landlord can let at an agreed market rent.
He's let his cottage to some people from London.
3) [transitive, always in imperative] used for giving an order or instructionLet the games begin!
4) [transitive, always in imperative] used for showing that you are angry or tired, and do not care what happensLet her do all the work for a change!
5) [transitive, usually in imperative] maths used in mathematics for saying that you are imagining that something is true, usually in order to prove a principle of mathematicsLet x = 5.
Let ABC be a triangle.
•let something drop/rest
— to stop talking about somethingI think we'd better let the matter drop so your father can calm down.
Just let it rest, would you?
let something drop/slip
— to say something important either by accident or in a way that makes it seem like an accidentShe casually let it drop that she would be moving to Paris.
In an unguarded moment, he let it slip that he'd lost his job.
let go (of someone/something)
— to stop holding someone or somethingLet go! That hurts.
She refused to let go of her bag and kicked her attackers several times.
let someone/something go
= let go someone/something — to stop holding someone or somethingLet me go!
Reluctantly, he let go of her arm.
Let the book go – it's mine!
let me see/think
— used for saying that you need a moment to think about somethingLet me see – where did I put my keys?
to/for let
— available to be rentedThere are three flats to let in the building.
- let'sPhrasal verbs:- let down- let in- let into- let off- let on- let out- let upSee:
II UK [let] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "let":
singular let plural lets1) in tennis, a service that hits the net and must be played again2) British a period of time in which a house or flat is rented to someone•
English dictionary. 2014.