Letting

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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. l[=a]tan, D. laten, G. lassen, OHG.
     l[=a]zzan, Icel. l[=a]ta, Sw. l[*a]ta, Dan. lade, Goth.


     l[=e]tan, and L. lassus weary. The original meaning seems to
     have been, to let loose, let go, let drop. Cf. {Alas},
     {Late}, {Lassitude}, {Let} to hinder.]
     1. To leave; to relinquish; to abandon. [Obs. or Archaic,
        except when followed by alone or be.]
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              He . . . prayed him his voyage for to let.
                                                    --Chaucer.
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              Yet neither spins nor cards, ne cares nor frets,
              But to her mother Nature all her care she lets.
                                                    --Spenser.
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              Let me alone in choosing of my wife.  --Chaucer.
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     2. To consider; to think; to esteem. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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     3. To cause; to make; -- used with the infinitive in the
        active form but in the passive sense; as, let make, i. e.,
        cause to be made; let bring, i. e., cause to be brought.
        [Obs.]
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              This irous, cursed wretch
              Let this knight's son anon before him fetch.
                                                    --Chaucer.
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              He . . . thus let do slay hem all three. --Chaucer.
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              Anon he let two coffers make.         --Gower.
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     4. To permit; to allow; to suffer; -- either affirmatively,
        by positive act, or negatively, by neglecting to restrain
        or prevent.
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     Note: In this sense, when followed by an infinitive, the
           latter is commonly without the sign to; as to let us
           walk, i. e., to permit or suffer us to walk. Sometimes
           there is entire omission of the verb; as, to let [to be
           or to go] loose.
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                 Pharaoh said, I will let you go.   --Ex. viii.
                                                    28.
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                 If your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it
                 is.                                --Shak.
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     5. To allow to be used or occupied for a compensation; to
        lease; to rent; to hire out; -- often with out; as, to let
        a farm; to let a house; to let out horses.
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     6. To give, grant, or assign, as a work, privilege, or
        contract; -- often with out; as, to let the building of a
        bridge; to let out the lathing and the plastering.
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     Note: The active form of the infinitive of let, as of many
           other English verbs, is often used in a passive sense;
           as, a house to let (i. e., for letting, or to be let).
           This form of expression conforms to the use of the
           Anglo-Saxon gerund with to (dative infinitive) which
           was commonly so employed. See {Gerund}, 2. " Your
           elegant house in Harley Street is to let." --Thackeray.
           In the imperative mood, before the first person plural,
           let has a hortative force. " Rise up, let us go."
           --Mark xiv. 42. " Let us seek out some desolate shade."
           --Shak.
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     {To let alone}, to leave; to withdraw from; to refrain from
        interfering with.
  
     {To let blood}, to cause blood to flow; to bleed.
  
     {To let down}.
        (a) To lower.
        (b) To soften in tempering; as, to let down tools,
            cutlery, and the like.
  
     {To let fly} or {To let drive}, to discharge with violence,
        as a blow, an arrow, or stone. See under {Drive}, and
        {Fly}.
  
     {To let in} or {To let into}.
        (a) To permit or suffer to enter; to admit.
        (b) To insert, or imbed, as a piece of wood, in a recess
            formed in a surface for the purpose.
  
     {To let loose}, to remove restraint from; to permit to wander
        at large.
  
     {To let off}.
        (a) To discharge; to let fly, as an arrow; to fire the
            charge of, as a gun.
        (b) To release, as from an engagement or obligation.
            [Colloq.]
  
     {To let out}.
        (a) To allow to go forth; as, to let out a prisoner.
        (b) To extend or loosen, as the folds of a garment; to
            enlarge; to suffer to run out, as a cord.
        (c) To lease; to give out for performance by contract, as
            a job.
        (d) To divulge.
  
     {To let slide}, to let go; to cease to care for. [Colloq.] "
        Let the world slide." --Shak.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  letting
       n : property that is leased or rented out or let [syn: {lease},
           {rental}]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  letting
       See {let}