let - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
let Word Meanings
- to allow or permit
- to lease or rent
- to make something happen
let Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
let Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/lɛt/
US
/lɛt/
let Word Etymology
let = allow + (root) from OE 'lettian' → ME 'leten' → 'let'. Picture someone opening a door wide to let others pass.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I place my hand on the door and push, watching the gap widen. I hold the frame and shift my weight, feeling the pressure rise and ease in my grip. I let the moment move me forward, deciding whether to open wider or step back. In this small, practical act I sense the balance of permission and trust as something quietly happens.
Real Context
Let is a versatile verb with three main uses: to allow or permit someone to do something, to lease or rent out an object or property, and to cause a change to happen. When you tell someone to do something, you often use let in expressions like let me know or let them go, emphasizing permission. In real estate, let is common in British English to mean 'rent out,' as in the landlord will let the apartment to a new tenant. Finally, let can introduce a cause or invitation in phrases such as let it rain or let us begin. Learners often mix up let with allow, confuse its conditional forms, or apply the wrong meaning in lease contexts.
Usage Reminders
- Let for permission; let for rental in British English; not a synonym of lend or lease in every context; use let with pronouns in fixed phrases; let can introduce requests or invitations; memorize common collocations like let go, let in, let it be.
Common Misconceptions
- Let always equals allow; not true, it also means rent out.
- Let is only used in formal notices; in speech, use allow instead.
- Let and lend are interchangeable in all contexts.
- Let cannot be used with verbs in passive form.
- Let always requires a pronoun after it (let him/her).
Thinking Differences
To an English speaker, let often signals permission, then rental, then a way to initiate or encourage an action; learners may overgeneralize let as equal to all forms of allow or confuse it with lend or lease in rental contexts.
Learning Tips
- Study let in three buckets: permission, rental, and causation.
- Learn key collocations: let me know, let us begin, let it be.
- Differentiate let from allow by testing with a direct object.
- Watch rental contexts in British media to see let meaning 'rent out'.
- Practice with role-plays: asking for permission, negotiating a rental, proposing actions.
- Check nearby verbs like lend and lease to avoid false friends.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 2: Usage
Which sentence below uses the word 'let' correctly?
A.Please let me the door open.
B.Let's go to the park tomorrow.
C.Let fish swim in the sky.
D.Let drink a glass of water.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is most similar to 'let'?
A.Prevent
B.Permit
C.Fabricate
D.Consume
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'let'?
A.Prohibit
B.Expand
C.Cooperate
D.Escape
Step 5: Mastery
Can you give an example of a real-life scenario involving 'let'?
A.She didn't want to let her son play outside unsupervised.
B.The teacher gave the students permission to play during recess.
C.He couldn't stop his dog from running away.
D.I always enjoy watching birds fly freely in the sky.
Related Listening
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