let

For the verb: "to let"

Simple Past:	let
Past Participle:	let

Multiple Entries:
  let    -let  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
let1

▶verb (lets, letting; past and past part. 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 lǣtan ‘leave behind, leave out’, of Gmc origin; rel. to late.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
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 part. 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; rel. to late.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-let

▶suffix

• 1 (forming nouns) denoting a smaller or lesser kind: booklet.

• 2 denoting articles of ornament or dress: anklet.

– origin orig. corresp. to Fr. -ette added to nouns ending in -el.