let

let

See also: Appendix:Variations of "let"

Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Lesing-Atui.

Symbol

let

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Lesing-Gelimi.

See also

  • Wiktionary’s coverage of Lesing-Gelimi terms

English

Alternative forms

  • lett (archaic)
  • lettest (2nd person singular simple present and simple past; archaic)
  • letteth (3rd person singular simple present; archaic)

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lɛt/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛt
  • Homophone: Lett

Etymology 1

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).

Verb

let (third-person singular simple present lets, present participle letting, simple past let or (obsolete) leet, past participle let or (obsolete) leet or (obsolete) letten)

  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. (transitive, chiefly British) 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.
    • 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Pride and Prejudice: [], volume I, London: [] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, [], →OCLC, pages 1–2:
      “My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
      Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
      “But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
    • 1965, Roger Miller, “King Of The Road”:
      Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents.
  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!
    Let us have a moment of silence.
    Let me just give you the phone number.
    Let P be the point where AB and OX intersect.
    "Let there be no doubt: I saw you boyfriend with another girl" "Let him. I don't care anymore".
  7. (transitive, obsolete except with know or be) To cause (+ bare infinitive).
    Can you let me know what time you'll be arriving?
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter IV, in Le Morte Darthur, book IV:
      Soo within a whyle kynge Pellinore cam with a grete hoost and salewed the peple and the kyng and ther was grete ioye made on euery syde. Thenne the kyng lete serche how moche people of his party ther was slayne. And ther were founde but lytel past two honderd men slayne and viij knyȝtes of the table round in their pauelions.
      So after a while King Pellinore came with a great host and saluted the people and the king, and there was great joy on every side. Then the king let search how many people of his faction were slain. And there were found only a little more than two hundred men slain, and eight knights of the Table Round in their pavilions.
    • 1818, John Keats, To—:
      Time's sea hath been five years at its slow ebb, / Long hours have to and fro let creep the sand [].
    • 1854 August 9, Henry D[avid] Thoreau, “The Ponds”, in Walden; or, Life in the Woods, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 212:
      What right had the unclean and stupid farmer, whose farm abutted on this sky water, whose shores he has ruthlessly laid bare, to give his name to it? ... Rather let it be named from the fishes that swim in it, the wild fowl or quadrupeds which frequent it, the wild flowers which grow by its shores, or some wild man or child the thread of whose history is interwoven with its own...
Usage notes
  • The use of “let” to introduce an imperative may sometimes be confused with its use, as its own imperative, in the sense of “to allow”. For example, the sentence “Let me go to the store.” could either be a second-person imperative of “let” (addressing someone who might prevent the speaker from going to the store) or a first-person singular imperative of “go” (not implying any such preventer).
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

let (plural lets)

  1. The allowing of possession of a property etc. in exchange for rent.
    • 1854, Charles Dickens, Christmas Stories[1], page 317:
      Then he says “You would call it a Good Let, Madam?”
      “O certainly a Good Let sir.”
Derived terms

Etymology 2

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

let (third-person singular simple present lets, present participle letting, simple past letted, past participle let)

  1. (archaic) To hinder, prevent, impede, hamper, cumber; to obstruct (someone or something).
  2. (obsolete) To prevent someone from doing something; also to prevent something from happening.
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XXI, Chapter ii, leaf 421r:
      & 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."
    • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt [] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts viij:
      And as they went on their waye, they cam unto a certayne water, and the gelded man sayde: Se here is water, what shall lett me to be baptised?
  3. (obsolete) To tarry or delay.
    • 1826, Early Metrical Tales; Including the History of Sir Egeir, Sir Gryme, and Sir Gray-Steill, Edinburgh, The History of Sir Eger, Sir Grahame, And Sir Gray-Steel, page 7:
      And for that strake I would not let, / Another upon him soon I set, []

Noun

let (plural lets)

  1. (obsolete or law) An obstacle or hindrance.
    without let or hindrance
  2. (tennis) The hindrance caused by the net during serve, only if the ball falls legally.
Derived terms
  • without let or hindrance
Translations

References

Anagrams

Ahtna

Etymology 1

From or related to łet (smoke).

Root

let

  1. a smudge or smokey fire burns
  2. to (cause to) burn to ashes
Stem set
Aspect Imperfective Perfective Future Optative
Durative let let let let
Momentaneous liit let liił liit
Conclusive let let let let
Derived terms
  • dedlet (it is smoldering)

References

  • Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 278

Etymology 2

Root

let

  1. to wobble
Stem set
Aspect Imperfective Perfective Future Optative
Momentaneous let let let let
Customary liit liit liit liit
Derived terms
  • keghalet (it is wobbling)

References

  • Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 277

Etymology 3

Root

let

  1. to melt
Stem set
Aspect Imperfective Perfective Future Optative
Momentaneous laat let leł laat
Progressive leł
Derived terms
  • cʼghaleł (it is melting)

References

  • Kari, James (1990), Ahtna Athabaskan Dictionary, Fairbanks, Alaska: Alaska Native Language Center, →ISBN, page 277

Champenois

Alternative forms

  • (Rémois) leuil, leil
  • (Langrois) leu

Etymology

Inherited from Old French lit, from Latin lectus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lɛ/

Noun

let m (plural lets)

  1. (Troyen, Langrois) bed

References

  • Daunay, Jean (1998), Parlers de Champagne : Pour un classement thématique du vocabulaire des anciens parlers de Champagne (Aube - Marne - Haute-Marne)[2] (in French), Rumilly-lés-Vaudes
  • Baudoin, Alphonse (1885), Glossaire de la forêt de Clairvaux[3] (in French), Troyes

Czech

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛt]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Homophone: led

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *letъ.

Noun

let m inan

  1. flight (the act of flying)
Declension

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

let n

  1. genitive plural of léto

Further reading

Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Danish læt, from Old Norse léttr, from Proto-Germanic *linhtaz. Cognate with Swedish lätt, Icelandic léttur, English light, Dutch licht and German leicht.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛd̥]

Adjective

let (plural and definite singular attributive lette)

  1. light (not heavy)
  2. easy
  3. slight
  4. mild
Inflection
Inflection of let
positive comparative superlative
indefinite common singular let lettere lettest2
indefinite neuter singular let lettere lettest2
plural lette lettere lettest2
definite attributive1 lette lettere letteste

1 When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2 The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Synonyms

Adverb

let

  1. lightly
  2. easily
  3. slightly
  4. mildly

References

Etymology 2

Abbreviation of letmælk.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛd̥]

Noun

let c (singular definite letten, plural indefinite let)

  1. low-fat milk
Declension
Declension of let
common
gender
singular plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative let letten let lettene
genitive lets lettens lets lettenes

References

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛd̥]

Verb

let

  1. imperative of lette

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈleˀd̥]

Verb

let

  1. past participle of le

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • Audio:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛt

Verb

let

  1. inflection of letten:
    1. first/second/third-person singular present indicative
    2. imperative

Anagrams

French

Etymology

    Borrowed from English let.

    Pronunciation

    Interjection

    let

    1. (tennis) indicates a let on service

    Further reading

    Friulian

    Etymology

    Inherited from Latin lēctus, perfect passive participle of legō.

    Verb

    let

    1. past participle of lei (read)

    Gothic

    Romanization

    lēt

    1. romanization of 𐌻𐌴𐍄

    Irish

    Alternative forms

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /lʲɛt̪ˠ/

    Contraction

    let (triggers lenition)

    1. (Munster) contraction of le +‎ do, literally with your sg
      let thoilplease
    Irish preposition contractions
    contracted with copular forms
    base form an (the sg) na (the pl) mo (my) do (your) a (his, her, their; which (present)) ár (our) ar (which (past)) before a consonant before a vowel
    present/future past/conditional
    de (from) den de na
    desna*
    de mo
    dem*
    de do
    ded*, det*
    dár dar darb darbh
    do (to, for) don do na
    dosna*
    do mo
    dom*
    do do
    dod*, dot*
    dár dar darb darbh
    faoi (under, about) faoin faoi na faoi mo faoi do faoina faoinár faoinar faoinarb faoinarbh
    i (in) sa, san sna i mo
    im*
    i do
    id*, it*
    ina inár inar inarb inarbh
    le (with) leis an leis na le mo
    lem*
    le do
    led*, let*
    lena lenár lenar lenarb lenarbh
    ó (from, since) ón ó na
    ósna*
    ó mo
    óm*
    ó do
    ód*, ót*
    óna ónár ónar ónarb ónarbh
    trí (through) tríd an trí na trí mo trí do trína trínár trínar trínarb trínarbh

    *dialectal

    North Frisian

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    Inherited from Old Frisian lēta, from Proto-West Germanic *lātan.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [lɛt]

    Verb

    let

    1. (Sylt) to let

    Conjugation

    Conjugation of let (Sylt dialect)
    infinitive I let
    infinitive II () leten
    past participle leten
    imperative let
      present past
    1st singular let let
    2nd singular letst letst
    3rd singular let let
    plural / dual let let
      perfect pluperfect
    1st singular haa leten her leten
    2nd singular heest leten herst leten
    3rd singular heer leten her leten
    plural / dual haa leten her leten
      future (skel) future (wel)
    1st singular skel let wel let
    2nd singular sket let wet let
    3rd singular skel let wel let
    plural / dual skel let wel let

    Norwegian Bokmål

    Etymology 1

    Derived from Old Norse litr (colour), related to líta (to see).

    Noun

    let m (definite singular leten, indefinite plural leter, definite plural letene)

    1. color / colour
    Synonyms
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    let

    1. imperative of lete

    References

    Norwegian Nynorsk

    Etymology 1

    Inherited from Old Norse litr (colour), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlituz. Related to Old Norse líta (to see).

    Alternative forms

    • (non-standard since 2012) lett

    Noun

    let m (definite singular leten, indefinite plural leter or letar, definite plural letene or letane)

    1. color / colour
      Synonym: farge
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2

    Verb

    let

    1. present tense of la
    2. present of lata
    3. past tense of la
    4. past of lata

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    let

    1. imperative of leta

    Further reading

    Anagrams

    Old English

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /leːt/

    Verb

    lēt

    1. first/third-person singular preterite indicative of lǣtan

    Serbo-Croatian

    Etymology

    Inherited from Proto-Slavic *letъ. First attested in the 17th century.[1]

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /lêːt/

    Noun

    lȇt m inan (Cyrillic spelling ле̑т)

    1. flight

    Declension

    Declension of let
    singular plural
    nominative lȇt létovi
    genitive lȇta létōvā
    dative lȇtu létovima
    accusative lȇt létove
    vocative lȇte létovi
    locative létu létovima
    instrumental lȇtom létovima

    References

    1. ^ Matasović, Ranko, Dunja Brozović Rončević, Dubravka Ivšić Majić, Tijmen Pronk (2016), “let”, in Matasović, Ranko, editor, Etimološki rječnik hrvatskoga jezika [Etymological dictionary of the Croatian language] (in Serbo-Croatian), volume I: A – Nj, Zagreb: Institut za hrvatski jezik i jezikoslovlje, page 547

    Further reading

    • let”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026

    Slovene

    Etymology

    Inherited from Proto-Slavic *letъ.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /lɛ́t/

    Noun

    lȅt m inan

    1. flight

    Declension

    The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.
    Masculine inan., hard o-stem
    nom. sing. lèt
    gen. sing. léta
    singular dual plural
    nominative
    (imenovȃlnik)
    lèt léta léti
    genitive
    (rodȋlnik)
    léta létov létov
    dative
    (dajȃlnik)
    létu létoma létom
    accusative
    (tožȋlnik)
    lèt léta léte
    locative
    (mẹ̑stnik)
    létu létih létih
    instrumental
    (orọ̑dnik)
    létom létoma léti

    Tok Pisin

    Etymology

    Derived from English leather.

    Noun

    let

    1. leather
    2. strap (of leather)
    3. belt