From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_729_zletlet1 /let/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle let, present participle letting) 1 allow [transitive not in passive] to allow someone to do something → allow, permit I can’t come out tonight – my dad won’t let me.let somebody do something Let Johnny have a go on the computer now. Some people seem to let their kids do whatever they like. Let me have a look at that letter.let somebody have something (=give something to someone) I can let you have another £10, but no more.► see thesaurus at allowRegisterIn written English, people often prefer to use allow somebody to do something rather than let somebody do something, as it is slightly more formal:We must allow young people to develop independence.2 not stop something happening [transitive]LET/ALLOW to not stop something happening, or to make it possible for it to happenlet somebody/something do something Jenny let the note fall to the ground. Don’t let anyone know it was me who told you. Max let the door swing open. Let the cookies cool down before you try them.let yourself be beaten/persuaded/fooled etc I stupidly let myself be persuaded to take part in a live debate.3 → let go4 → let somebody goSPOKEN PHRASES5 suggest/offer [transitive] used to make a suggestion or to offer helplet’s do something Let’s make a start, shall we? Let’s all get together over Christmas. Let’s not jump to conclusions – he might have been delayed.let somebody do something Let me help you with those bags. Let me give you a piece of advice.let’s hope (that) Let’s hope he got your message in time.don’t let’s do something British English informal Don’t let’s argue like this.6 → let’s see7 → let me think8 → let him/her/them etc9 → let’s face it/let’s be honest10 → let’s just say (that)11 → let yourself go12 → let something go13 wish [transitive not in passive]LET/ALLOW used to say that you wish or hope that something happens, or does not happen(not) let somebody/something do something Don’t let him be the one who died, she prayed.14 → let alone15 → let something drop/rest/lie16 → let slip17 rent [transitive] especially British EnglishLEND to charge someone an amount of money for the use of a room or building SYN lease, → hire, rent Interhome has over 20,000 houses to let across Europe.let something to somebody I’ve let my spare room to a student.let somebody something Would you consider letting me the garage for a few months?let something out to somebody We let the smaller studios out to local artists.To Let written (=written on a sign outside a building to show that it is available for renting)18 → let something be/equal/represent something19 → let yourself in for something20 → never let a day/week/year etc go by without doing something21 → let the good times roll22 → let somebody have it → let fly (something) at fly1(17), → let it all hang out at hang out, → live and let live at live1(21), → let it/her rip at rip1(6), → let rip at rip1(5) → let somebody/something ↔ down → let somebody in on something → let somebody/something into something → let somebody/something off → let on → let out → let up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
let• Under no circumstances, however, should the Dole campaign let Buchanan speak during prime time at the Republican Convention.• I know he's grown up now, but it's hard for me to let go.• Sue doesn't let her kids eat candy.• They are the reason he asked Mobil to let him build a bigger store.• Let him come home safely, she prayed.• It'll drive you crazy if you let it.• My parents didn't want to let me go, but I begged them and promised to come back very quickly.• Because if you drive... hold on, let me just check some-thing.• Thanks for letting me spend the night at your place.• I want to go to Europe this summer, but my parents won't let me.• But let no one doubt that this earthquake will happen.• Away from her, he must feel like a boy let out of school.• The company owns about 170 cottages in Britain, which it lets out to tourists.• Nellie's house had a 'To Let' sign in the window.• You'd better let the dog out.• 200,00 sq ft of land was let to a local firm.• So let us look at what factors appear to affect the performance of individuals in their jobs.• We wanted to go camping, but our parents wouldn't let us.• If hungry he'd gnaw your ankle just to let you know to fill his bowl.let somebody do something• His wife won't let him watch football on TV.• Let me show you how to do it.let yourself be beaten/persuaded/fooled etc• All the nurses in Illinois submit passively, like the early Christians, and let themselves be beaten.• Perhaps unconsciously I willingly let myself be fooled, just in order to please him and keep our relationship going.• Even I had let myself be persuaded of this dream.• I let myself be persuaded to take part in a television programme about books. Let’s not• Let's not talk about work tonight.let something out to somebody• With small, isolated follies and temples, one solution is to let them out to artists.• With some one watching him all the time except when one of Them let the other out to fetch the papers.• I went, but my friend wouldn't speak to me, let alone come out to keep me company.• Early most mornings, they let Kibbles out to run.• The Count just let you out to torment me, but I've always known you were there.letlet2 noun 1 [countable] British English an arrangement in which a house or flat is rented to someone An agency is managing the let. a long-term let2 → without let or hindranceExamples from the Corpus
let• This would justify the fact that to is not used with this sense of let.-let-let /lɪt/ suffix [in nouns] XXa small kind of something a booklet a pigletExamples from the Corpus
-let• an ankletFrom Longman Business Dictionaryletlet /let/ verb (past tense and past participle let, present participle letting) [transitive] British EnglishPROPERTY (also let out) to allow someone to use a room or building in return for rentlet something to somebodyShe let the studio to artists.There are numerous offices to let (=available to be rented) in the town.Once the tourist season begins, we should be able to let out the rest of our properties. —let noun [countable]Stein employed a landlord to manage the Browning Street let. → compare lease1, rent1→ See Verb tableOrigin let Old English lætan -let Old French -elet, from -el “small” (from Latin -ellus) + -et 