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to let

to let

8 6.7
Allow someone to live in or use your house for money
  • verb
  • /lɛt/
  • UK
: alquilar
  • We decided to let our friends use our cabin over the summer.
  • stall space to let

Say hey man, I will pay you to let Shan Jay stay with you.

Examples

  • The receipt of rent is the landlord's reward for letting someone live on the property.

    Academic text (1991)
  • So we offered to let him live here for a little bit.

  • And she says you can let me into the great house, Sir.

  • Companies may say, "I will pay you if you let me track you on the Internet."

    Academic text (1999)
  • Get the written agreements before you let people do work on the film.

  • Well, Graf and I have decided to let him make a tour of our institution.

  • Private ownership would even permit the owner to let the land lie unused in any way.

    Academic text (1990)
  • The United Arab Emirates would also like to let more of its acreage out for foreign exploration.

    Academic text (1999)
  • The landlord agreed to let us rent the apartment for six months.

  • The university will let students stay in the dorms if they apply early.

Synonyms

to rent
vsto let
165 1.8

To allow someone to use a house or room in return for money

is limited to property use under contract rather than goods
to rent out
vsto let
67 2.1

Allow someone to use a room or building for money

is the single-word formal term for the same contractual action
to lease
vsto let
45 3.5

Allow someone to use your property in return for regular payments

is the general term for property use under contract not focused on land

Antonyms

661 1.6

To refuse to let someone have something

87 4.6

To make someone leave a house or land by court order

Idioms

let me tell you
  • Informal
678 4.4

To start a story or show that what follows is important

242 3.0

To show that something is even less likely than what was just mentioned

let me guess
  • Informal
160 4.6

Said when you are about to say what you think happened

38 3.4

To say that one thing is even less likely or possible than another

Forgive past fights so they do not affect the present

7 5.4

To say this to show you want it to snow

To accept what happens and not try to change the result

6 6.9

Avoid talking about old problems to prevent more arguments

To tell a secret that should be kept

Give up control and trust God or a higher power

2 8.4

A playful goodnight wish hoping someone has good dreams

2 9.8

To wish someone a good night as a joke

Show your true self to others, even if it seems strange

Wait too long to act and miss a chance

To ask or hope, often in prayer, not to have a hard time

To let strong, uncontrolled feelings make your life worse

To allow someone to act freely after a time of control

5.6

Relax and enjoy yourself after being serious or busy

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

721 1.0

Allow someone or something to enter a place

663 1.8

Tell me when something changes or you have news

655 3.7

To stop worrying about something and relax

638 1.1

Allow someone or something to leave a place

430 2.9

Make someone feel disappointed by not doing what you promised

391 1.9

To stop holding something so it is not in your hand

280 3.5

To choose not to react to something annoying

176 1.0

To tell us something so we can answer

124 3.1

Make a sound like a laugh, cry, or sigh

123 3.5

To not punish someone or excuse them from a duty

to let on
  • Informal
68 6.0

To tell a secret or show feelings you were trying to hide

58 8.1

To angrily tell someone off

55 3.8

To become less strong, especially for bad weather, pain, or pressure

52 4.1

To free someone from blame or punishment

49 4.1

Accept a situation without trying to change it

47 3.8

Set something free from being held or controlled

46 3.8

To stop employing someone so they lose their job

38 2.0

Move something slowly from a higher to a lower position

27 3.7

Tell secret or private information to other people

to let loose
  • Informal
24 3.9

Relax and enjoy yourself without worrying

23 5.6

Accidentally tell someone something you want to keep secret

to let it slide
  • Informal
15 5.9

To ignore a small mistake to avoid an argument

Allow a situation to continue without changing it

10 5.8

Send something suddenly and forcefully, like a rock or angry words

8 8.2

To relax completely and show your true feelings without holding back

To breathe out slowly because you feel relieved, tired, or disappointed

Allow food to cook slowly at low heat just below boiling

To end a relationship or give bad news in a way that hurts less

Choose not to touch or change something

To make a loud sudden cry because you are scared, hurt, or surprised

2 3.9

Make a sudden loud sound, like a shout or laugh

2 2.3

Allow a person to join a group or organization

To suddenly breathe in sharply because you are surprised, shocked, or in pain

1 3.8

Make clothing larger by sewing so it fits more comfortably

to let out a fart
  • Offensive
1 8.1

To let air out from your bottom so it makes a sound

Tell someone bad news in a kind way

To open your mouth and breathe slowly because you feel tired or bored

1 6.7

Fail to finish tasks by the agreed time

to let out a curse
  • Offensive
1 6.8

To say a bad word when you feel angry or hurt

To breathe out loudly to show you are annoyed

to let drive
  • Archaic
1 8.2

To shoot something from a gun or bow

1 8.1

To tell someone angrily that they did something wrong

Light fireworks so they make bright lights and loud noises for a celebration

8.9

Say darn when you feel frustrated or annoyed

9.9

Make a short silly sound like a small horn

Allow a project to continue without making changes

Compounds

let-off
  • Specialized
1 9.4

The percentage a compound bow's pull drops at full draw, making it easier to hold

1 4.7

A case where someone is excused from punishment, often only warned

How Permanent

to sell
∞ 1.0
lease
  • Specialized
198 3.0
to let
  • UK
8 6.7
to lend
319 1.0

Surface Forms

let infinitive
let past
let past participle
letting present participle
lets third person singular

Etymology

Let (to rent out) grew from the simple idea of 'allow'. It came to mean 'allow someone to use your house', which is why in British English to let your flat means to rent it to someone.