LET

v. 1 allow (to), permit (to), sanction (to), give permission or leave (to), authorize (to), license (to), suffer (to) Don't let him go alone Let George do it. 2 cause (to), arrange for, enable (to) Let me know if you have any difficulty Let me help you. Let the police know of any crime. 3 Sometimes, let out. rent (out), hire (out), lease (out), charter (out); contract (out), subcontract (out), farm (out), job (out) Mrs Finney lets rooms by the week Much of the work is let out to people who work at home. 4 let down. disappoint, fail, frustrate; disenchant, dissatisfy, disillusion He promised to be here at nine, but he let me down 5 let in. admit, allow in; include, take in, receive, welcome, induct, install or instal I'll just open a window and let in some fresh air I wouldn't want to be a member of a club that would let in someone like me. 6 let off. a pardon, forgive, excuse, release, discharge, let go They let him off with only a severe reprimand b exonerate, absolve, clear, acquit, vindicate, Slang let off the hook When the real culprit confessed, she was let off c detonate, explode, detonate, discharge, fire, set off Don't let off those fireworks so near the haystack d emit, give out or off, release, throw off or out, let loose, exude Some plastics let off an awful smell when they burn 7 let on. a confess, admit, disclose, divulge, reveal, expose, let it be known, let out, say, tell, give away, let slip, betray; leak I'll never let on that you are to blame b feign, affect, pretend, fake, (put on an) act, simulate, dissemble, dissimulate He let on that he had a bad leg and couldn't play in the match, when in fact he just wanted to go away for the weekend 8 let out. a See 7 (a), above. b (let) loose, liberate, (set) free, release, let go, discharge He served three years before being let out Let the cat out, will you. c emit, give vent to, produce She let out a scream that could have woken the dead d end, stop, break up, finish, close, terminate When does school let out for the Christmas holidays? 9 let up decrease, abate, ease (up), slacken, diminish, lessen, mitigate, subside, moderate Perhaps we can still go if the rain lets up soon 10 let up on. ease up on, slack off on He didn't let up on haranguing us for an hour