let up

let ¹  (lt)

v. let, let·ting, lets

v.tr.

1. To give permission or opportunity to; allow: I let them borrow the car. The inheritance let us finally buy a house. See Usage Note at leave¹.

2. To cause to; make: Let the news be known.

3.

a. Used as an auxiliary in the imperative to express a command, request, or proposal: Let's finish the job! Let x equal y.

b. Used as an auxiliary in the imperative to express a warning or threat: Just let her try!

4. To permit to enter, proceed, or depart: let the dog in.

5. To release from or as if from confinement: let the air out of the balloon; let out a yelp.

6. To rent or lease: let rooms.

7. To award, especially after bids have been submitted: let the construction job to a new firm.

v.intr.

1. To become rented or leased.

2. To be or become assigned, as to a contractor.

Phrasal Verbs:

let down

1. To cause to come down gradually; lower: let down the sails.

2.

a. To withdraw support from; forsake.

b. To fail to meet the expectations of; disappoint.

let on

1. To allow to be known; admit: Don't let on that you know me.

2. To pretend.

let out

1. To come to a close; end: School let out early. The play let out at 11 p.m.

2. To make known; reveal: Who let that story out?

3. To increase the size of (a garment, for example): let out a coat.

let up

1. To slow down; diminish: didn't let up in their efforts.

2. To come to a stop; cease: The rain let up.

Idioms:

let alone

Not to mention; much less: "Their ancestors had been dirt poor and never saw royalty, let alone hung around with them" Garrison Keillor.

let go

To cease to employ; dismiss: had to let 20 workers go.

let off on Informal

To cause to diminish, as in pressure; ease up on: Let off on the gas so that we do not exceed the speed limit.

let (one's) hair down

To drop one's reserve or inhibitions.

let (someone) have it Informal

1. To beat, strike, or shoot at someone.

2. To scold or punish.

let (someone) in on

1. To reveal (a secret) to: They finally let me in on their plans.

2. To allow to participate in (something).

let up on

To be or become more lenient with: Why don't you let up on the poor child?

---

[Middle English leten, from Old English ltan; see l- in Indo-European roots.]

---

let up

Verb

1. to diminish or stop

2. (foll. by on)Informal to be less harsh (towards someone)

Noun

let-up

Informal a lessening: there has been no let-up in the war

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	let up - become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated"; "The rain let up after a few hours" die away, slack off, abate, slack decrease, diminish, lessen, fall - decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
	2.	let up - reduce pressure or intensity; "he eased off the gas pedal and the car slowed down" ease off, ease up alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"