Webster's English Dictionary

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let

Cross references:
  1. hire                  
 
1. let \'let\ vt or let.ted;  or letted;  or let or let.ting [ME letten, 
   fr. OE lettan to delay, hinder; akin to OHG lezzenX to delay, hurt, OE 
   l-t late archaic  : HINDER, PREVENT 
2. let n 1: something that impedes : OBSTRUCTION  2: a stroke in racket 
   games that does not count 
3. let vb or let;  or let.ting [ME leten, fr. OE l-tan; akin to OHG 
   la-zzan t]o permit, L lassus weary, lenis soft, mild 1: to cause to : MAKE 
   {~ it be known}  2a: RENT, LEASE {~ rooms}  2b: to assign esp. after bids 
   {~ a contract}  3a: to give opportunity to {live and ~ live}  3b: - used in 
   the imperative to introduce a request or proposal {~)R us pray} 3c: - used 
   imperatively as an auxiliary to express a warning {~  him try} 4: to free 
   from confinement : RELEASE {~ the prisoner go> 5: to permit to enter, pass, 
   or leave {~ them through}  1: to become rented or leased  2: to become 
   awarded to a contractor LET may imply a positive giving of permission but 
   more often implies failure to prevent either through inadvertence and 
   negligence or through lack of power or effective authority; ALLOW implies 
   little more than a forbearing to prohibit; PERMIT implies willingness or 
   acquiescence SYN syn LET, ALLOW, PERMIT mean not to forbid or prevent.