let's

[lets] /lɛts/

contraction of let us.

Can be confused

least, lest, let's.

Usage note

See contraction, let¹.

let¹

[let] /lɛt/

verb (used with object), let, letting.

to allow or permit:

to let him escape.

to allow to pass, go, or come:

to let us through.

to grant the occupancy or use of (land, buildings, rooms, space, etc., or movable property) for rent or hire (sometimes followed by out).

to contract or assign for performance, usually under a contract:

to let work to a carpenter.

to cause to; make:

to let one know the truth.

(used in the imperative as an auxiliary expressive of a request, command, warning, suggestion, etc.):

Let me see. Let us go. Just let them try it!

verb (used without object), let, letting.

to admit of being rented or leased:

The apartment lets for $100 per week.

noun

British. a lease.

Verb phrases

let down,

to disappoint; fail.
to betray; desert.
to slacken; abate:
We were too near success to let down in our efforts.
to allow to descend slowly; lower.
Aeronautics. (of an airplane) to descend from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or a similar maneuver.

10.

let in,

to admit.
to involve (a person) in without his or her knowledge or permission:
to let someone in for a loss.
Also, let into. to insert into the surface of (a wall or the like) as a permanent addition:
to let a plaque into a wall.
Also, let in on. to share a secret with; permit to participate in.

11.

let off,

to release by exploding.
to free from duty or responsibility; excuse.
to allow to go with little or no punishment; pardon:
The judge let off the youthful offender with a reprimand.

12.

let on,

to reveal one's true feelings:
She was terrified at the prospect, but didn't let on.
to pretend:
They let on that they didn't care about not being invited, but I could tell that they were hurt.

13.

let out,

to divulge; make known.
to release from confinement, restraint, etc.
to enlarge (a garment).
to terminate; be finished; end:
When does the university let out for the summer?
to make (a let-out fur or pelt).

14.

let up,

to slacken; diminish; abate:
This heat wave should let up by the end of the week.
to cease; stop:
The rain let up for a few hours.

15.

let up on, to treat less severely; be more lenient with:

He refused to let up on the boy until his grades improved.

Idioms

16.

let alone. alone (def 8).

17.

let be,

to refrain from interference.
to refrain from interfering with.

18.

let go. go (def 82).

19.

let someone have it, Informal. to attack or assault, as by striking, shooting, or rebuking:

The gunman threatened to let the teller have it if he didn't move fast.

Origin

before 900; Middle English leten, Old English lǣtan; cognate with Dutch laten, German lassen, Old Norse lāta, Gothic lētan; akin to Greek lēdeîn to be weary, Latin lassus tired. See late

Synonyms

1. See allow. 1. suffer, grant. 3. lease, rent, sublet, hire.

Antonyms

1. prevent.

Usage note

Let us is used in all varieties of speech and writing to introduce a suggestion or a request: Let us consider all the facts before deciding. The contracted form let's occurs mostly in informal speech and writing: Let's go. Let's not think about that right now. Perhaps because let's has come to be felt as a word in its own right rather than as the contraction of let us, it is often followed in informal speech and writing by redundant or appositional pronouns: Let's us plan a picnic. Let's you and I (or me) get together tomorrow. Both Let's you and me and Let's you and I occur in the relaxed speech of educated speakers. The former conforms to the traditional rules of grammar; the latter, nonetheless, occurs more frequently. See also leave¹.

let²

[let] /lɛt/

noun

(in tennis, badminton, etc.) any play that is voided and must be replayed, especially a service that hits the net and drops into the proper part of the opponent's court.

Chiefly Law. an impediment or obstacle:

to act without let or hindrance.

verb (used with object), letted or let, letting.

Archaic. to hinder, prevent, or obstruct.

Origin

before 900; Middle English letten (v.), lette (noun; derivative of the v.), Old English lettan (v.), derivative of læt slow, tardy, late; cognate with Old Norse letja to hinder

Examples from the web for let's

Come, draw this curtain, and let's see your picture.
let's not do it to make accreditation agencies happy or because everyone else is doing it.
They're focused on, let's put together this weekly module, and then that's where the experience happens.
In all the conversation on this topic, let's not lose sight of the people this affects and the challenges they face.
let's let science do its work and create real causal chains and then talk.
One could do the same to you, but let's not go that route.
Before discussing these resources in more detail, let's make sure that you begin the negotiating process with the right mindset.
let's review a few of the traits of each category and see if any of them sound familiar.
So to start with, let's acknowledge that our lecturers and preceptors are still our graduate students.
let's pick samples that are equivalent in both races and then let's talk.

British Dictionary definitions for let's

let's

/lɛts/

contraction

let us: used to express a suggestion, command, etc, by the speaker to himself and his hearers

let¹

/lɛt/

verb (transitive; usually takes an infinitive without to or an implied infinitive) lets, letting, let

to permit; allow: she lets him roam around

(imperative or dependent imperative)

used as an auxiliary to express a request, proposal, or command, or to convey a warning or threat: let's get on, just let me catch you here again!
(in mathematical or philosophical discourse) used as an auxiliary to express an assumption or hypothesis: let "a" equal "b"
used as an auxiliary to express resigned acceptance of the inevitable: let the worst happen

to allow the occupation of (accommodation) in return for rent
to assign (a contract for work)

to allow or cause the movement of (something) in a specified direction: to let air out of a tyre

(Irish, informal) to utter: to let a cry

let alone

(conjunction) much less; not to mention: I can't afford wine, let alone champagne
let be, leave alone, leave be, to refrain from annoying or interfering with: let the poor cat alone

let go, See go¹ (sense 59)

let loose

to set free
(informal) to make (a sound or remark) suddenly: he let loose a hollow laugh
(informal) to discharge (rounds) from a gun or guns: they let loose a couple of rounds of ammunition

noun

(Brit) the act of letting property or accommodation: the majority of new lets are covered by the rent regulations

Word Origin

Old English lǣtan to permit; related to Gothic lētan, German lassen

let²

/lɛt/

noun

an impediment or obstruction (esp in the phrase without let or hindrance)

(tennis, squash)

a minor infringement or obstruction of the ball, requiring a point to be replayed
the point so replayed

verb lets, letting, letted, let

(transitive) (archaic) to hinder; impede

Word Origin

Old English lettan to hinder, from lætlate; related to Old Norse letja

Word Origin and History for let's

let

Old English lætan "to allow to remain; let go, leave, depart from; leave undone; to allow; bequeath," also "to rent" (class VII strong verb; past tense let, past participle læten), from Proto-Germanic *letan (cf. Old Saxon latan, Old Frisian leta, Dutch laten, German lassen, Gothic letan "to leave, let"), from PIE *le- "to let go, slacken" (cf. Latin lassus "faint, weary," Lithuanian leisti "to let, to let loose;" see lenient). If that derivation is correct, the primary sense would be "let go through weariness, neglect."

Of blood, from late Old English. To let (something) slip originally (1520s) was a reference to hounds on a leash; figurative use from 1540s. To let (someone) off "allow to go unpunished" is from 1814. To let on "reveal, divulge" is from 1725; to let up "cease, stop" is from 1787. Let alone "not to mention" is from 1812.

"stoppage, obstruction" (obsolete unless in legal contracts), late 12c., from archaic verb letten "to hinder," from Old English lettan "hinder, delay," from Proto-Germanic *latjanan (cf. Old Saxon lettian "to hinder," Old Norse letja "to hold back," Old High German lezzen "to stop, check," Gothic latjan "to hinder, make late," Old English læt "sluggish, slow, late"); see late.

Related Abbreviations for let's

LET

linear energy transfer