• IPA: /lɛt/

let (lets, present participle letting; past let, past participle let)

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.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Exodus 8:28 ↗:

     Pharaoh said, I will let you go.

   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene vi]:

     If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is{{...}

   • 1971, Ursula K. Le Guin, The Tombs of Atuan

     He could not be let die of thirst there alone in the dark.

2. (transitive) To leave.

   Let me alone!

   • Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets, / But to her mother Nature all her care she lets.

3. (transitive) To allow the release of (a fluid).

   The physicians let about a pint of his blood, but to no avail.

4. (transitive) 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.

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. (transitive) Used to introduce an imperative in the first or third person.

   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.

7. (transitive, obsolete except with know) To cause (+ bare infinitive).

   Can you let me know what time you'll be arriving?

   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, [http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/MaloryWks2/1:6.4?rgn=div2;view=fulltext 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

   • 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 […].

• (to allow) allow, permit

• French: laisser
• German: lassen
• Italian: permettere, lasciare
• Portuguese: deixar, permitir, ir
• Russian: пуска́ть
• Spanish: permitir, dejar

• French: louer
• German: vermieten
• Italian: affittare
• Portuguese: alugar
• Russian: сдава́ть в аренда
• Spanish: alquilar, arrendar

let (plural lets)

1. The allowing of possession of a property etc. in exchange for rent.

let (lets, present participle letting; past letted, past participle let)

1. (archaic) To hinder, prevent, impede, hamper, cumber; to obstruct (someone or something).
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, 2 Thessalonians 2:7 ↗:

     He who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

   • ?, Alfred Tennyson, Lancelot and Elaine

     Mine ancient wound is hardly whole, / And lets me from the saddle.

2. (obsolete) To prevent someone from doing something; also to prevent something from happening.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts 8:

     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.

   • No longer would he let.

let (plural lets)

1. An obstacle or hindrance.
   • 1567 Arthur Golding; Ovid's Metamorphoses Bk. 3 Lines 60-1

     And Cadmus saw his campanie make tarience in that sort

     He marveld what should be their let, and went to seeke them out.

   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 16, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     Paulus Emilius going to the glorious expedition of Macedon, advertised the people of Rome during his absence not to speake of his actions: For the licence of judgements is an especiall let in great affaires.

   • Consider whether your doings be to the let of your salvation or not.

2. (tennis) The hindrance caused by the net during serve, only if the ball falls legally.

• French: filet
• German: Netzball