to let off fireworks

2.7

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

phrasal verb
/lɛt ɔf ˈfaɪərwɜrks/

: hacer fuegos artificiales

Every year, the town lets off fireworks for Independence Day.

Examples

The children watched excitedly as their parents let off fireworks in the garden.
It's illegal to let off fireworks in this park without a permit.
They let off fireworks at midnight!
Did you see them let off fireworks last night?
Every year, the town lets off fireworks for Independence Day.
It's illegal to let off fireworks in this park without a permit.
The children watched excitedly as their parents let off fireworks in the garden.

Synonyms

to explode

vsto let off fireworks

579 2.8

To burst suddenly and violently, making a loud noise and flying pieces

is done deliberately to create celebratory visual displays rather than an accidental burst

Antonyms

to extinguish

23 4.4

Stop a fire, candle, or other light from burning

Surface Forms

let off fireworks infinitive

let off fireworks past

let off fireworks past participle

letting off fireworks present participle

lets off fireworks third person singular

Morphology

let + off + firework

The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'let' (allow) + 'off' (as in causing something to 'go off' or explode) + 'fireworks' (the object). This follows a common English composition pattern (compare 'set off'/'go off') and has clear cross-linguistic equivalents, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Let off fireworks comes from the simple image of lighting a firework and letting it go off, so it bursts and lights the sky. That's why let off fireworks means 'to set fire to fireworks so they explode for a celebration'.