Consider whether your doings be to the let of your
salvation or not. --Latimer.
2. (Lawn Tennis) A stroke in which a ball touches the top of
the net in passing over.
He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let.
--Chaucer.
Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets, But
to her mother Nature all her care she lets.
--Spenser.
Let me alone in choosing of my wife. --Chaucer.
2. To consider; to think; to esteem. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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. --Chaucer.
He . . . thus let do slay hem all three. --Chaucer.
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.
Note: In this sense, when followed by an infinitive, the
latter is commonly without the sign to; as to let us
walk, i. e., to permit or suffer us to walk. Sometimes
there is entire omission of the verb; as, to let [to be
or to go] loose.
Pharaoh said, I will let you go. --Ex. viii.
28.
If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it
is. --Shak.
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.
Note: The active form of the infinitive of let, as of many
other English verbs, is often used in a passive sense;
as, a house to let (i. e., for letting, or to be let).
This form of expression conforms to the use of the
Anglo-Saxon gerund with to (dative infinitive) which
was commonly so employed. See {Gerund}, 2. `` Your
elegant house in Harley Street is to let.''
--Thackeray. In the imperative mood, before the first
person plural, let has a hortative force. `` Rise up,
let us go.'' --Mark xiv. 42. `` Let us seek out some
desolate shade.'' --Shak.
{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}.
(a) To lower.
(b) To soften in tempering; as, to let down tools,
cutlery, and the like.
He was so strong that no man might him let. --Chaucer.
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. --Tennyson.
2. To be let or leased; as, the farm lets for $500 a year.
See note under {Let}, v. t.
{To let on}, to tell; to tattle; to divulge something. [Low]
{To let up}, to become less severe; to diminish; to cease;
as, when the storm lets up. [Colloq.]