let

let
leave, let
Leave is well on its way to forcing out let in certain idiomatic uses, especially in leave / let be (Will you leave / let me be? I'm trying to work), leave / let go (Please leave / let go of the handle), and above all in leave / let alone when it means ‘to refrain from disturbing, not interfere with’ (I'll leave / let you alone to get on with it now). Leave alone is the only possibility when the meaning is ‘not to have dealings with’ (I wish you'd leave the matter alone), and let alone is still dominant in the meaning ‘still less, not to mention’ (They never buy a newspaper, let alone read one).
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let
1. A pronoun that follows let in exhortations should be in the objective case (me, him, her, etc.) and not the subjective (I, he, she, etc.), since it is the object of let. Mistakes occur most often when there are two pronouns joined by and or when the pronoun is followed by a clause with who: ☒ Let you and I say a few words about this unfortunate affair (read Let you and me…) / Let he who did this be severely punished (read Let him who…).
2. The type let us (or let's) + infinitive is well established in English

• (Let's hold more chat —Shakespeare, 1588).

More colloquial forms occur, especially in AmE:

• Let's you and me duck out of here —J. Macdonald, 1950

but these are considered non-standard. When let is used to introduce a firm request, rather than a casual suggestion, the two words should be written separately: Let us try once more.
3. The negative form of let's is let's not or (in BrE) don't let's. In AmE, let's don't is used informally.

Modern English usage. 2014.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • let — let·o·vic·ite; let·ta·ble; let·tered; let·ter·er; let·ter·et; let·ter·gae; let·ter·less; let·ter·man; let·tic; let·tre; let·tuce; lobe·let; lord·let; lor·i·let; lu·nu·let; mag·a·zine·let; man·tel·let·ta; mart·let; mil·let·tia; miq·ue·let;… …   English syllables

  • Let — Let, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Let} ({Letted} (l[e^]t t[e^]d), [Obs].); p. pr. & vb. n. {Letting}.] [OE. leten, l[ae]ten (past tense lat, let, p. p. laten, leten, lete), AS. l[=ae]tan (past tense l[=e]t, p. p. l[=ae]ten); akin to OFries. l[=e]ta, OS.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Let — Let, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Let} ({Letted} (l[e^]t t[e^]d), [Obs].); p. pr. & vb. n. {Letting}.] [OE. leten, l[ae]ten (past tense lat, let, p. p. laten, leten, lete), AS. l[=ae]tan (past tense l[=e]t, p. p. l[=ae]ten); akin to OFries. l[=e]ta, OS.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • let*/*/*/ — [let] (past tense and past participle let) verb 1) [T] to allow something to happen, or to allow someone to do something Alice s mum won t let her come with us.[/ex] I stepped back and let him pass.[/ex] The large windows let in a lot of… …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • Let It Be — Студийный альбом The Beatl …   Википедия

  • let — [let] verb let PTandPP letting PRESPART [transitive] PROPERTY also let out to allow someone to use a room or building in return for rent …   Financial and business terms

  • let — Ⅰ. let [1] ► VERB (letting; past and past part. let) 1) not prevent or forbid; allow. 2) used in the imperative to express an intention, proposal, or instruction: let s have a drink. 3) used to express an assumption upon which a theory or… …   English terms dictionary

  • let — let1 [let] vt. let, letting [ME leten < OE lætan, to leave behind, akin to Ger lassen < IE * lēd < base * lēi , to neglect, leave behind > LATE, L letum, death] 1. to leave; forsake; abandon: now only in phrases let alone or let be or …   English World dictionary

  • let — ● let adjectif invariable (anglais let, de to let, laisser) Au tennis et au tennis de table, se dit d une balle de service qui touche le sommet du filet et retombe dans les limites du court ou sur la table et dans le camp adverse. (Une balle let… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Let Go — Álbum de estudio de Avril Lavigne Publicación 21 de junio de 2002 …   Wikipedia Español

  • let — vb let, let·ting vt 1: to offer or grant for rent, lease, or hire: lease may not be alienated, let, or encumbered corporeal things may be let out 2: to assign esp. after bids were att …   Law dictionary

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