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let

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let¹

  • /lɛt/

Sounds like Lett · Rhymes with -ɛt

Where it comes from

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”).

verb lets · letting · let · leet

  1. transitive To allow to, not to prevent (+ infinitive, but usually without to). After he knocked for hours, I decided to let him come in.
  2. transitive To allow to be or do without interference; to not disturb or meddle with; to leave alone. Let me be!
  3. transitive To allow the release of (a fluid). The physicians let about a pint of his blood, but to no avail.
  4. UK, transitive To allow possession of (a property etc.) in exchange for rent. I decided to let the farmhouse to a couple while I was working abroad.
  5. transitive To give, grant, or assign, as a work, privilege, or contract; often with out. to let the building of a bridge;  to let out the lathing and the plastering
  6. auxiliary, transitive Used to introduce a first or third person imperative verb construction. Let's put on a show!
  7. transitive To cause (+ bare infinitive). Can you let me know what time you'll be arriving?

Similar: allow, permit

noun lets · lett · lettest · letteth

  1. The allowing of possession of a property etc. in exchange for rent. Then he says “You would call it a Good Let, Madam?” “O certainly a Good Let sir.”

let²

  • /lɛt/

Sounds like Lett · Rhymes with -ɛt

Where it comes from

Derived from Middle English letten (“to hinder, delay”), from Old English lettan (“to hinder, delay”; literally, “to make late”), from Proto-West Germanic *lattjan, from Proto-Germanic *latjaną. Akin to Old English latian (“to delay”), Dutch letten, Old English læt (“late”). More at late, delay.

verb lets · letting · letted · let · lett · lettest

  1. archaic To hinder, prevent, impede, hamper, cumber; to obstruct (someone or something). He who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
  2. obsolete To prevent someone from doing something; also to prevent something from happening. & there was syr Mordred redy awaytynge vpon his londage to lette his owne fader to lāde vp the lande that he was kyng ouer. "And there was Sir Mordred ready awaiting upon his landing, to let his own father to land upon the land that he was king over."
  3. obsolete To tarry or delay. And for that strake I would not let, / Another upon him soon I set, […]

noun lets · lett · lettest · letteth

  1. obsolete An obstacle or hindrance. without let or hindrance
  2. The hindrance caused by the net during serve, only if the ball falls legally.

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