(~s, ~ting)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: The form '~' is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle.
1.
If you ~ something happen, you allow it to happen without doing anything to stop or prevent it.
Thorne ~ him talk...
She ~ the door slam...
I can’t ~ myself be distracted by those things.
VERB: V n inf, V n inf, V pron-refl inf
2.
If you ~ someone do something, you give them your permission to do it.
I love sweets but Mum doesn’t ~ me have them very often...
Visa or no visa, they won’t ~ you into the country.
VERB: V n inf, V n prep/adv
3.
If you ~ someone into, out of, or through a place, you allow them to enter, leave, or go through it, for example by opening a door or making room for them.
I had to get up at seven o’clock this morning to ~ them into the building because they had lost their keys...
I’d better go and ~ the dog out...
VERB: V n prep/adv, V n prep/adv
4.
You use ~ me when you are introducing something you want to say.
Let me tell you what I saw last night...
Let me explain why...
VERB: only imper, V me inf, V me inf
5.
You use ~ me when you are offering politely to do something.
Let me take your coat...
Let me get you something to drink.
VERB: only imper, V me inf, V me inf politeness
6.
You say ~’s or, in more formal English, ~ us, to direct the attention of the people you are talking to towards the subject that you want to consider next.
Let’s consider ways of making it easier...
Let us look at these views in more detail.
VERB: only imper, V us inf, V us inf
7.
You say ~’s or, in formal English, ~ us, when you are making a suggestion that involves both you and the person you are talking to, or when you are agreeing to a suggestion of this kind.
I’m bored. Let’s go home...
‘Shall we go in and have some supper?’—‘Yes, ~’s.’
VERB: only imper, V us inf, V ’s
8.
Someone in authority, such as a teacher, can use ~’s or, in more formal English, ~ us, in order to give a polite instruction to another person or group of people.
Let’s have some hush, please...
‘Let us pray,’ said the Methodist chaplain.
VERB: only imper, V us inf, V us inf politeness
9.
People often use ~ in expressions such as ~ me see or ~ me think when they are hesitating or thinking of what to say next.
Now, ~’s see. Where did I leave my bag?...
‘How long you been living together then?’—‘Erm, ~ me think. It’s about four years now.’
VERB: V pron inf, V pron inf vagueness
10.
You can use ~ to say that you do not care if someone does something, although you think it is unpleasant or wrong.
If he wants to do that, ~ him do it...
Let them talk about me; I’ll be dead, anyway...
VERB: only imper, V n inf, V n inf
11.
You can use ~ 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.
Let him get his own cup of tea...
VERB: only imper, V n inf
12.
You can use ~ when you are praying or hoping very much that something will happen.
Please God, ~ him telephone me.
VERB: only imper, V n inf
13.
You can use ~ to introduce an assumption on which you are going to base a theory, calculation, or story.
Let x equal 5 and y equal 3...
VERB: only imper, V n inf
14.
If you ~ your house or land to someone, you allow them to use it in exchange for money that they pay you regularly. (mainly BRIT)
She is thinking of ~ting her house to an American serviceman...
The reasons for ~ting a house, or part of one, are varied.
= rent
VERB: V n to n, V n
•
Let out means the same as ~ . (in AM, use rent )
I couldn’t sell the London flat, so I ~ it out to pay the mortgage...
Home owners who have extra space available may want to ~ out a room.
PHRASAL VERB: V n P, V P n (not pron)
15.
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.
It is incredible that the 12-year-old managed to even reach the pedals, ~ alone drive the car.
PHRASE emphasis
16.
If you ~ go of someone or something, you stop holding them.
She ~ go of Mona’s hand and took a sip of her drink...
PHRASE: ~ inflects, oft PHR of n
17.
If you ~ someone or something go, you allow them to leave or escape.
They held him for three hours and they ~ him go...
PHRASE: ~ inflects
18.
When someone leaves a job, either because they are told to or because they want to, the employer sometimes says that they are ~ting that person go. (BUSINESS)
I’ve assured him I have no plans to ~ him go...
Peterson was ~ go after less than two years.
PHRASE: ~ inflects
19.
If you say that you did not know what you were ~ting 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 ~ting herself in for...
PHRASE: V inflects, usu with brd-neg, PHR n
20.
If you ~ someone know something, you tell them about it or make sure that they know about it.
They want to ~ them know that they are safe...
If you do want to go, please ~ me know.
PHRASE: ~ inflects, oft PHR that/wh, PHR n, PHR about n
21.
to ~ fly: see fly
to ~ your hair down: see hair
to ~ someone off the hook: see hook
to ~ it be known: see known
to ~ the side down: see side
to ~ off steam: see steam