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let |
6 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Let \Let\, n. 1. A retarding; hindrance; obstacle; impediment; delay; -- common in the phrase without let or hindrance, but elsewhere archaic. --Keats. Consider whether your doings be to the let of your salvation or not --Latimer. 2. (Lawn Tennis) A stroke in which a ball touches the top of the net in passing over From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Let \Let\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Let} ({Letted} (l[e^]t"t[e^]d), [Obs].); p. pr & vb n. {Letting}.] [OE. leten, l[ae]ten (past tense lat, let p. p. laten, leten, lete), AS l[=ae]tan (past tense l[=e]t, p. p. l[=ae]ten); akin to OFries l[=e]ta, OS l[=a]tan, D. laten, G. lassen, OHG. l[=a]zzan, Icel. l[=a]ta, Sw l[*a]ta, Dan. lade, Goth. l[=e]tan, and L. lassus weary. The original meaning seems to have been to let loose, let go let drop. Cf {Alas}, {Late}, {Lassitude}, {Let} to hinder.] 1. To leave to relinquish; to abandon. [Obs. or Archaic, except when followed by alone or be.] He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let --Chaucer. Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets, But to her mother Nature all her care she lets --Spenser. Let me alone in choosing of my wife. --Chaucer. 2. To consider; to think; to esteem. [Obs.] --Chaucer. 3. To cause to make -- used with the infinitive in the active form but in the passive sense as let make i. e., cause to be made let bring i. e., cause to be brought. [Obs.] This irous, cursed wretch Let this knight's son anon before him fetch. --Chaucer. He . . . thus let do slay hem all three --Chaucer. Anon he let two coffers make --Gower. 4. To permit; to allow to suffer; -- either affirmatively, by positive act or negatively, by neglecting to restrain or prevent. Note: In this sense when followed by an infinitive, the latter is commonly without the sign to as to let us walk, i. e., to permit or suffer us to walk. Sometimes there is entire omission of the verb as to let [to be or to go] loose. Pharaoh said I will let you go --Ex. viii. 28. If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is --Shak. 5. To allow to be used or occupied for a compensation; to lease; to rent; to hire out -- often with out as to let a farm; to let a house; to let out horses. 6. To give grant, or assign, as a work privilege, or contract; -- often with out as to let the building of a bridge; to let out the lathing and the plastering. Note: The active form of the infinitive of let as of many other English verbs, is often used in a passive sense as a house to let (i. e., for letting, or to be let). This form of expression conforms to the use of the Anglo-Saxon gerund with to (dative infinitive) which was commonly so employed. See {Gerund}, 2. `` Your elegant house in Harley Street is to let.'' --Thackeray. In the imperative mood, before the first person plural, let has a hortative force. `` Rise up let us go.'' --Mark xiv. 42. `` Let us seek out some desolate shade.'' --Shak. {To let alone}, to leave to withdraw from to refrain from interfering with {To let blood}, to cause blood to flow; to bleed. {To let down}. a To lower. b To soften in tempering; as to let down tools, cutlery, and the like From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: -let \-let\ (-l[e^]t). [From two French dim. endings -el (L. -ellus) and -et, as in bracelet.] A noun suffix having a diminutive force; as in streamlet, wavelet, armlet. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Let \Let\ (l[e^]t), v. t. [OE. letten, AS lettan to delay, to hinder, fr l[ae]t slow; akin to D. letten to hinder, G. verletzen to hurt, Icel. letja to hold back Goth. latjan. See {Late}.] To retard; to hinder; to impede; to oppose. [Archaic] He was so strong that no man might him let --Chaucer. He who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way --2. Thess. ii 7. Mine ancient wound is hardly whole, And lets me from the saddle. --Tennyson. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Let \Let\, v. i. 1. To forbear. [Obs.] --Bacon. 2. To be let or leased; as the farm lets for $500 a year. See note under {Let}, v. t. {To let on}, to tell to tattle; to divulge something [Low] {To let up}, to become less severe; to diminish; to cease; as when the storm lets up [Colloq.] From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: let n : a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court; the ball must be served again [syn: {net ball}] v 1: make it possible through lack of action for something to happen; "This permits the water to rush in"; "This sealed door won't allow the water come into the basement" [syn: {allow}, {permit}] [ant: {prevent}] 2: actively cause something to happen; "I let it be known that I was not interested" 3: give permission; "She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband"; "I won't let the police search her basement"; "I cannot allow you to see your exam" [syn: {permit}, {allow}, {countenance}] [ant: {forbid}, {forbid}] 4: cause to move cause to be in a certain position or condition: "He got his squad on the ball"; "This let me in for a big surprise"; "He got a girl into trouble" [syn: {get}, {have}] 5: let be leave alone or undisturbed; "leave the door open!" [syn: {leave}] 6: grant use or occupation of under a term of contract; "I am leasing my country estate to some foreigners" [syn: {lease}, {rent}]
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