English Explanatory Dictionary

let

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To allow to, not to prevent (+ infinitive, but usually without to).
To allow to be or do without interference; to not disturb or meddle with; to leave alone.
To allow the release of (a fluid).
To allow possession of (a property etc.) in exchange for rent.
To give, grant, or assign, as a work, privilege, or contract; often with out.
Used to introduce a first or third person imperative verb construction.
To cause (+ bare infinitive).

noun

The allowing of possession of a property etc. in exchange for rent.

verb

To hinder, prevent, impede, hamper, cumber; to obstruct (someone or something).
To prevent someone from doing something; also to prevent something from happening.
To tarry or delay.

noun

An obstacle or hindrance.
The hindrance caused by the net during serve, only if the ball falls legally.

Pronunciation

/lɛt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-let.wav en-us-let.ogg

Word forms

let lets letting leet letten lett lettest letteth letted

Etymology

Derived from Middle English leten, læten, from Old English lǣtan (“to allow, let go, bequeath, leave, rent”), from Proto-West Germanic *lātan, from Proto-Germanic *lētaną (“to leave behind, allow”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁d- (“to be tired, leave”). Cognates Cognate with Scots lat, lete (“to let, leave”), Yola leth (“let”), North Frisian leet, let, lätje (“to let”), Bavarian låssn (“to let”), Dutch, Low German laten (“to let, leave”), German lassen, laßen (“to let, leave, allow”), Luxembourgish loossen (“to let, leave”), Yiddish לאָזן (lozn, “to let”), Danish lade (“to let, allow, leave”), Faroese, Icelandic láta (“to let”), Norwegian Bokmål la (“to let, leave”), Norwegian Nynorsk la, lata, late (“let, allow”), Swedish låta (“to let, allow, leave”), Gothic 𐌻𐌴𐍄𐌰𐌽 (lētan, “to let”), Albanian lë (“to allow, let, leave”) and partially related to French laisser (“to let”).

Synonyms

allow permit

Derived words

bloodlet buy-to-let buy to let don't let the bedbugs bite don't let the door hit you on the way out forlet if it's yellow let it mellow inlet let alone let a sleeping dog lie let a thousand flowers bloom let be let blood let bygones be bygones let crazy stick its dick in you let down let drive let fluffy off the chain let fly let George do it let go let her rip let he who is without sin cast the first stone let him that is without sin cast the first stone let him who is without sin cast the first stone let in let in on let into let it all hang out let it alone let it be let it be known let it snow let know let lie let loose let me count the ways let me see let me tell you let nature take her course let nature take its course let-off let off let off steam let on let one go let one loose let one off let one rip let one's guard down let one's hair down let one's nuts hang let one's short back and sides down let out let past let rip let's let sleeping dogs lie let slide let slip

Translations

Albanian: lë Arabic: سَمَحَ Arabic: دَعَّ Arabic: خلَى Armenian: թողնել Aromanian: alas Aromanian: las Asturian: dexar Bangi: tika Belarusian: пуска́ць Belarusian: пусці́ць Belarusian: дазваля́ць Belarusian: дазво́ліць Breton: lezel Bulgarian: позволявам Catalan: permetre Catalan: deixar Chinese Mandarin: 讓 /让 Czech: nechat Czech: dovolit Danish: tillade Danish: lade Dutch: laten Dutch: toestaan Esperanto: lasi Esperanto: permesi Estonian: laskma Finnish: antaa Finnish: sallia French: laisser Friulian: lassâ Galician: deixar Georgian: ნების დართვა Georgian: გაშვება German: lassen Greek: επιτρέπω Greek: αφήνω Ancient Greek: ἐάω Ancient Greek: ἀφίημι Mbya Guarani: eja Hebrew: הִנִּיחַ Hungarian: hagy Hungarian: enged Icelandic: leyfa Ido: lasar Interlingua: lassar Istriot: lassà Italian: lasciare Italian: permettere Japanese: ...させる Khmer: អោយ Korean: 허락하다 Ladin: lascer Latin: sinō Latin: patior Latin: permittō Latin: sustineō Latvian: ļaut Latvian: laist Lingala: tika Lithuanian: leisti Portuguese: obstáculo Serbo-Croatian: prepreka

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