Let /(lĕt)/

Let

v. t.
  1. To retard; to hinder; to impede; to oppose. [Archaic]
    He was so strong that no man might him let.
    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.

Let

n.
  1. A retarding; hindrance; obstacle; impediment; delay; -- common in the phrase without let or hindrance, but elsewhere archaic.
    Consider whether your doings be to the let of your salvation or not.
  2. A stroke in which a ball touches the top of the net in passing over. (Lawn Tennis)

Let

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Let; p. pr. & vb. n. Letting

  1. To leave; to relinquish; to abandon. [Obs]
    He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let.
    Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets, But to her mother Nature all her care she lets.
    Let me alone in choosing of my wife.
  2. To consider; to think; to esteem. [Obs.]
  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.
    He . . . thus let do slay hem all three.
    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.
    Pharaoh said, I will let you go.
    — Ex. viii. 28.
    If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is.
  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.

Phrases & Compounds
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
To lower.
To let fly
to discharge with violence, as a blow, an arrow, or stone. See under Drive, and Fly.
To let in
To permit or suffer to enter; to admit.
To let loose
to remove restraint from; to permit to wander at large.
To let off
To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; to fire the charge of, as a gun.
To let out
To allow to go forth; as, to let out a prisoner.
To let slide
to let go; to cease to care for.

Let

v. i.
  1. To forbear. [Obs.]
  2. To be let or leased; as, the farm lets for $500 a year. See note under Let, v. t.

Phrases & Compounds
To let on
to tell; to tattle; to divulge something.
To let up
to become less severe; to diminish; to cease; as, when the storm lets up.