Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[let down one's hair] See: LET ONE'S HAIR DOWN.
[let drop] <v. phr.> 1. To cease to talk about; set aside; forget. * /This is such an unpleasant subject that I suggest we let it drop for a few days./ 2. To disclose; hint. * /He unexpectedly let drop that he was resigning and joining another firm./
[let fall] See: LET DROP.
[let George do it] <v. phr.>, <informal> To expect someone else to do the work or take the responsibility. * /Many people expect to let George do it when they are on a committee./ Compare: PASS THE BUCK.
[let go] <v.> 1a. To stop holding something; loosen your hold; release. * /The boy grabbed Jack's coat and would not let go./ - Often used with "of". * /When the child let go of her mother's hand, she fell down./ Compare: GIVE UP(1a), LET LOOSE. 1b. To weaken and break under pressure. * /The old water pipe suddenly let go and water poured out of it./ Syn.: GIVE WAY. Contrast: HOLD ON TO. 2. To pay no attention to; neglect. * /Robert let his teeth go when he was young and now he has to go to the dentist often./ * /After she was married, Jane let herself go and was not pretty anymore. / 3. To allow something to pass; do nothing about. * /When Charles was tardy, the teacher scolded him and let it go at that./ * /The children teased Frank, but he smiled and let it go./ Compare: LET OFF(2), LET RIDE. 4. To discharge from a job; fire. * /Mr. Wilson got into a quarrel with his boss and was let go./ 5. To make (something) go out quickly; shoot; fire. * /The soldiers let go a number of shots./ * /Robin Hood let go an arrow at the deer./ * /Paul was so angry that he let go a blow at the boy./ * /The truck driver saw the flat tire and let go a loud curse./ * /The pitcher let go a fast ball and the batter swung and missed./ Compare: CUT LOOSE, LET OUT. 6. or [let oneself go] <informal> To be free in one's actions or talk; relax. * /Judge Brown let go at the reunion of his old class and had a good time./ * /The cowboys worked hard all week, but on Saturday night they went to town and let themselves go./ Syn.: CUT LOOSE, LET LOOSE(3), LET OFF STEAM(2).
[let go hang] See: GO HANG.
[let go of] <v. phr.> To release one's grasp. * /As soon as Sally let go of the leash, her dog ran away./
[let go of one's mother's apron strings] See: TIED TO ONE'S MOTHER'S APRON STRINGS.
[let grass grow under one's feet] <v. phr.> To be idle; be lazy; waste time.
– Used in negative, conditional, and interrogative sentences. * /The new boy joined the football team, made the honor roll, and found a girlfriend during the first month of school. He certainly did not let any grass grow under his feet./
[let it all hang out] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> Not to disguise anything; to let the truth be known. * /Sue can't deceive anyone; she just lets it all hang out./
[let it lay] <v. phr.>, <used imperatively>, <slang> Forget it; leave it alone; do not be concerned or involved. * /Don't get involved with Max again - just let it lay./
[let it rip] <v. phr.>, <used imperatively>, <slang> Don't be concerned; pay no attention to what happens. * /Why get involved? Forget about it and let it rip./ 2. (Imperatively) Do become involved and make the most of it; get in there and really try to win. * /Come on man, give it all you've got and let it rip!/
[let know] <v. phr.> To inform. * /Please let us know the time of your arrival./
[let loose] <v.> 1a. or [set loose] or [turn loose] To set free; loosen or give up your hold on. * /The farmer opened the gate and let the bull loose in the pasture./ * /They turned the balloon loose to let it rise in the air./ 1b. or [turn loose] To give freedom (to someone) to do something; to allow (someone) to do what he wants. * /Mother let Jim loose on the apple pie./ * /The children were turned loose in the toy store to pick the toys they wanted./ 1c. To stop holding something; loosen your hold. * /Jim caught Ruth's arm and would not let loose./ Compare: LET GO, LET OUT. 2a. <informal> To let or make (something) move fast or hard; release. * /The fielder let loose a long throw to home plate after catching the ball./ 2b. <informal> To release something held. * /Those dark clouds are going to let loose any minute./ Syn.: CUT LOOSE, LET GO. 3. <informal> To speak or act freely; disregard ordinary limits. * /The teacher told Jim that some day she was going to let loose and tell him what she thought of him./ * /Mother let loose on her shopping trip today and bought things for all of us./ Syn.: CUT LOOSE, LET GO.
[let me see] or [let us see] <informal> 1. Let us find out by trying or performing an action. * /Let me see if you can jump over the fence./ 2. Give me time to think or remember. * /I can't come today. Let me see. How about Friday?/ * /Let's see. Where did I put the key?/
[let off] <v.> 1. To discharge (a gun); explode; fire. * /Willie accidentally let off his father's shotgun and made a hole in the wall./ Syn.: GO OFF, LET LOOSE(2). 2. To permit to go or escape; excuse from a penalty, a duty, or a promise. * /Two boys were caught smoking in school but the principal let them off with a warning./ * /Mary's mother said that she would let Mary off from drying the supper dishes./ * /The factory closed for a month in the summer and let the workers off./ Compare: LET GO. 3. or <informal> [let off the hook] To miss a chance to defeat or score against, especially in sports or games. * /We almost scored a touchdown in the first play against Tech but we let them off the hook by fumbling the ball./ * /The boxer let his opponent off the hook many times./
[let off steam] or [blow off steam] <v. phr.> 1. To let or make steam escape; send out steam. * /The janitor let off some steam because the pressure was too high./ 2. <informal> To get rid of physical energy or strong feeling through activity; talk or be very active physically after forced quiet. * /After the long ride on the bus, the children let off steam with a race to the lake./ * /When the rain stopped, the boys let off steam with a ball game./ * /Bill's mother was very angry when he was late in coming home, and let off steam by walking around and around./ * /Bill had to take his foreman's rough criticisms all day and he would blow off steam at home by scolding the children./ Compare: BLOW ONE'S TOP, LET GO(6).
[let off the hook] See: LET OFF(3).
[let on] <v.>, <informal> 1. To tell or admit what you know. Usually used in the negative. * /Frank lost a quarter but he didn't let on to his mother./ 2. To try to make people believe; pretend. * /The old man likes to let on that he is rich./
[let one have it] <v. phr.> 1a. <slang> To hit hard. * /He drew back his fist and let the man have it./ * /Give him a kick in the pants; let him have it!/ Syn.: GIVE IT TO. 1b. <slang> To use a weapon on; to shoot or knife. * /The guard pulled his gun and let the robber have it in the leg./ Compare: OPEN UP. 1c. or [let one have it with both barrels] <slang> To attack with words; scold; criticize. * /Mary kept talking in class until the teacher became angry and let her have it./ Syn.: LIGHT INTO(2). 2. <informal> To tell about it.
– Used in the imperative phrase, "let's have it". * /Now, Mary, let's have it from the beginning./ * /We will take turns reading; John, let's have it from page one./
[let one in on] <v. phr.> To reveal a secret to; permit someone to share in. * /If I let you in on something big we're planning, will you promise not to mention it to anyone?/
[let oneself go] See: LET GO(6).
[let one's hair down] or [let down one's hair] <v. phr.>, <informal> Act freely and naturally; be informal; relax. * /Kings and queens can seldom let their hair down./ * /After the dance, the college girls let their hair down and compared dates./ Compare: LET GO(6).
[let one's left hand know what one's right hand is doing] <v. phr.> 1. To make a show of your kindness or help to others.
– Used in the negative. * /The Bible tells us not to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing when we give to the poor./ 2. <informal> To let everyone taking part in something know what each is doing; encourage cooperation in working. * /Tom told Fred and Bill to meet him in town, but he forgot to tell them where. Next time he'll let his left hand know what his right hand is doing./ - Often used in the negative. * /Our team lost today because the coach and captain did not let the left hand know what the right was doing, and the players were all mixed up./