to let up
54
3.8
- phrasal verb
- /lɛt ʌp/
:
cesar
- We decided to wait until the rain lets up before heading for the picnic.
The point is, I know it's been almost a year, but we can't let up now.
- The point is, I know it's been almost a year, but we can't let up now.
- Already in this week I have been feeling a little bit like the sicky feeling, the tiredness is letting up a bit.
- Those voices and those voices don't let up and then we're in trouble and we need to raise the white flag because things are not well.
- But what happened was the community didn't let up.
- And I, my intuition has never let up more than in that moment.
- However, that individual won't seem to let up.
- Yeah, and Harris did not let up.
- So it's super tight and like, just like doesn't let up, you know?
- And so every time he gets to that point, right, and he has to plant that foot down right in his mind, he says he knows he lets up.
- And that's just quite the view, Craig, where you just say, you know, just let up if you, if you want to get in the ballpark, just let a market handle it and step back.
Examples
-
Don't let up on him, Joe.
-
If the rain lets up, we'll get a glimpse of some of the animals at night.
Fiction book (1990) -
If this rain would just let up, we could continue on.
Fiction book (1999) -
"If the rain had let up, I might have gone home earlier."
Fiction book (1994) -
I sure hope this weather lets up on us.
-
The rain had let up a bit, and Annie felt very good.
Fiction book (1997) -
We can't let up now.
-
"Will it rain constantly in Peoria, Illinois, today, or will it let up?"
Academic text (2011) -
The hurricane system that has poured 3 inches of rain on western Portland... ... in the past 24 hours has finally let up.
-
As the pressure let up, sparks danced before her eyes, and she felt dizzy, light-headed.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
57
3.7
To make something less strong or strict
52
3.6
To become less serious or be forgotten over time
46
2.7
To become less strong or loud over time
39
3.7
To relax after a busy or stressful time and slowly come to an end
23
6.8
To become less strong or severe and to make something do the same
9
4.0
To become gradually less strong or severe
8
4.2
To become quieter and then stop
3
5.3
To reduce effort, speed or attention
3
3.9
To become less strong or busy
1
5.7
Move, act, or work less quickly and with less energy
To become less strong over time
Antonyms
How Lessened
Surface Forms
Morphology
let + up
The meaning 'to become less strong or intense' is not a straightforward compositional result of 'let' (allow) + 'up' (direction), because the particle 'up' here has an idiomatic/discourse function that signals easing or cessation rather than a literal upward motion. There is a partial relation—an easing/allowing sense—that can be guessed, but the specific phrasal-verb meaning is somewhat conventionalized and may require prior exposure, so it is not fully transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrasal verb let up comes from the image of loosening a hold: to let something up is to relax your grip so the pressure becomes smaller. Imagine you hold a rope tight and then open your hand a little, and the pull is less, so the phrase means 'to become less strong' or 'to ease'.