Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[let out] <v.> 1a. To allow to go out or escape. * /The guard let the prisoners out of jail to work in the garden./ * /Mother won't let us out when it rains./ Compare: LET LOOSE. 1b. <informal> To make (a sound) come out of the mouth; utter. * /A bee stung Charles. He let out a yell and ran home./ * /Father told Betty to sit still and not let out a peep during church./ 2. To allow to be known; tell. * /I'll never tell you another secret if you let this one out./ Compare: LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. 3. To make larger (as clothing) or looser; allow to slip out (as a rope). * /Mary's mother had to let out her dress because Mary is growing so tall./ * /Father hooked a big fish on his line. He had to let the line out so the fish wouldn't break it./ Compare: PIECE OUT. Contrast: TAKE IN. 4. <informal> To allow to move at higher speed. * /The rider let out his horse to try to beat the horse ahead of him./ 5. <informal> To free from blame, responsibility, or duty.
– Often used with "of". * /Last time I let you out of it when you were late. I'll have to punish you this time./ * /Frank has shoveled the snow from the sidewalk. That lets me out./ Compare: LET GO, LET OFF. 6, <informal> To discharge from a job; fire. * /The shop closed down and all the men were let out./ 7. <informal> To dismiss or be dismissed. * /The coach let us out from practice at 3 o'clock./ * /I'll meet you after school lets out./
[let pass] <v. phr.> To disregard; overlook. * /Herb may have overheard what was said about him, but he decided to let it pass./
[let ride] <v. phr.>, <informal> To allow to go on without change; accept (a situation or action) for the present. * /The committee could not decide what to do about Bob's idea, so they let the matter ride for a month or so./ * /The class was rather noisy but the teacher let it ride because it was near Christmas./ * /Ruth's paper was not very good, but the teacher let it ride because she knew Ruth had tried./ Compare: LET GO(3), LET WELL ENOUGH ALONE.
[let's don't] also [don't let's] <substandard> Let's not; let us not; I suggest that we don't. * /"'Let's go out and play," said Fred. "Let's don't until the rain stops," said Mary./ * /Don't let's go now. Let's go tomorrow instead./
[let's have it] See: LET HAVE IT.
[let sleeping dogs lie] Do not make (someone) angry and cause trouble or danger; do not make trouble if you do not have to.
– A proverb. * /Don't tell Father that you broke the window. Let sleeping dogs lie./
[let slip] <v. phr.> To unintentionally reveal. * /Ellen let it slip that she had been a witness to the accident./
[letter] See: CHAIN LETTER, NIGHT LETTER, TO THE LETTER.
[letter-perfect] <adj. phr.> Memorized perfectly; perfect to the last letter. * /The actor was letter-perfect in his role./
[let the cat out of the bag] <v. phr.>, <informal> To tell about something that is supposed to be a secret. * /We wanted to surprise Mary with a birthday gift, but Allen let the cat out of the bag by asking her what she would like./ - Sometimes used in another form. * /Well, the cat is out of the bag - everybody knows about their marriage./ Compare: GIVE AWAY(3), LET OUT(2), SPILL THE BEANS.
[let the chips fall where they may] <v. phr.> To pay no attention to the displeasure caused others by your actions. * /The senator decided to vote against the bill and let the chips fall where they may./ * /The police chief told his men to give tickets to all speeders and let the chips fall where they may./ Compare: COME WHAT MAY.
[let the grass grow under one's feet] <v. phr.>, <informal> To waste time; be slow or idle. * /Grandpa spends so much time sitting and thinking that Grandma accuses him of letting the grass grow under his feet./
[let up] <v.>, <informal> 1. To become less, weaker, or quiet; become slower or stop. * /It's raining as hard as ever. It's not letting up at all./ * /It snowed for three days before it let up and we could go outdoors./ 2. To do less or go slower or stop; relax; stop working or working hard. * /Grandfather has been working all his life. When is he going to let up?/ * /Let up for a minute. You can't work hard all day./ * /Jim ran all the way home without letting up once./ Compare: SLOW DOWN. Contrast: BEAR DOWN. 3. To become easier, kinder, or less strict.
– Usually used with "on". * /Let up on Jane. She is sick./ Syn.: EASE UP. 4. or [change up] To pitch a ball at less than full speed in baseball.
– Usually used with "on". * /John pitched a ball that was very fast and the batter missed it. Then he let up on the next pitch and the batter was badly fooled./
[let well enough alone] or [leave well enough alone] <v. phr.> To be satisfied with what is good enough; not try to improve something because often that might cause more trouble. * /John wanted to make his kite go higher, but his father told him to let well enough alone because it was too windy./ * /Ed polished up his car until his friends warned him to leave well enough alone./ * /Ethel made a lot of changes in her test paper after she finished. She should have let well enough alone, because she made several new mistakes./ Compare: LET RIDE.
[level] See: ON THE LEVEL.
[level best] <adj. phr.> One's utmost; one's very best. * /Eric refused to stay in school although his parents did their level best to make him finish./
[levelheaded] <adj. phr.> Having good common sense; practical; reasonable. * /What our office needs is a good, level-headed manager./
[level off] or [level out] <v.> 1. To make flat or level. * /The steamroller leveled out the gravel roadbed and then the concrete was poured./ 2. To move on an even level. * /The airplane leveled out at 2,000 feet./ * /After going up for six months, the cost of living leveled off in September./
[level with] <v. phr.> To tell someone the truth; not engage in lies and subterfuge. * /"You can level with me," his father said. "Did you break that window?"/
[liberty] See: TAKE LIBERTIES.
[lick and a promise] <n. phr.>, <informal> A careless, hasty job; an unsatisfactory piece of work. * /You didn't wash your hands. You just gave them a lick and a promise./ * /The boys didn't cut the grass properly. All it got was a lick and a promise./
[lickety-split] also [lickety-cut] <adv.>, <informal> At full speed; with a rush. * /As soon as school was out the boys ran lickety-split to the swimming pool./
[lick into shape] <v. phr.> To make perfect; drill; train. * /The sergeant licked the new volunteer army into shape in three months./
[lick one's boots] <v. phr.> To flatter or act like a slave; do anything to please another. * /She wanted her boyfriend to lick her boots all the time./ * /A wise king would not want his friends and officials to lick his boots./
[lick one's chops] <v. phr.>, <informal> To think about something pleasant; enjoy the thought of something. * /John is licking his chops about the steak dinner tonight./ * /Tom is licking his chops about the lifeguard job he will have at the beach next summer./ * /Our team is licking its chops because we beat the champions last night./ (From the fact that some animals lick their mouths when they expect to be fed or when they see food, and after eating.) Compare: LOOK FORWARD TO, MAKE ONE'S MOUTH WATER.