8 VERB 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. [POLITENESS ] □ [V us inf] Let's have some hush, please. □ [V us inf] 'Let us pray,' said the Methodist chaplain.
9 VERB 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. [VAGUENESS ] □ [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 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.
11 VERB 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.
12 VERB You can use let when you are praying or hoping very much that something will happen. □ [V n inf] Please God, let him phone me.
13 VERB You can use let to introduce an assumption on which you are going to base a theory, calculation, or story. □ [V n inf] Let x equal 5 and y equal 3.
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 ] 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. ● PHRASAL VERB Let out means the same as let . □ [V n P ] I couldn't sell the London flat, so I let it out to pay the mortgage. □ [V P n] Home owners who have extra space available may want to let out a room. [in AM, use rent ]
15 PHRASE 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. [EMPHASIS ] □ It is incredible that the 12-year-old managed to even reach the pedals, let alone drive the car.
16 PHRASE If you let go of someone or something, you stop holding them. □ [+ of ] She let go of Mona's hand and took a sip of her drink.
17 PHRASE 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.
18 PHRASE 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 . [BUSINESS ] □ I've assured him I have no plans to let him go. □ Peterson was let go after less than two years.
19 PHRASE 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.
20 PHRASE 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. [Also + about ]
21 to let fly → see fly
22 to let your hair down → see hair
23 to let someone off the hook → see hook
24 to let it be known → see known
25 to let the side down → see side
26 to let off steam → see steam
▸ let down
1 PHRASAL VERB If you let someone down , you disappoint them, by not doing something that you have said you will do or that they expected you to do. □ [V n P ] Don't worry, Xiao, I won't let you down. □ [V P n] When such advisers fail in their duty, they let down the whole system. ● let down ADJ [v-link ADJ ] □ The company now has a large number of workers who feel badly let down.
2 PHRASAL VERB If something lets you down , it is the reason you are not as successful as you could have been. □ [V n P ] Many believe it was his shyness and insecurity which let him down. □ [be V -ed P ] Sadly, the film is let down by an excessively simple plot. [Also V P n]
3 PHRASAL VERB If you let down something such as a tyre, you allow air to escape from it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n P ] I let the tyres down on his car. □ [V P n] Remove wheelnuts, let down tyre, put on spare.
▸ let in PHRASAL VERB If an object lets in something such as air, light, or water, it allows air, light, or water to get into it, for example because the object has a hole in it. □ [V P n] …balconies shaded with lattice-work which lets in air but not light. [Also V n P ]
▸ let in on PHRASAL VERB If you let someone in on something that is a secret from most people, you allow them to know about it. □ [V n P P n] I'm going to let you in on a little secret.
▸ let into PHRASAL VERB If you let someone into a secret, you allow them to know it. □ [V n P n] I'll let you into a little showbiz secret.
▸ let off