let vb. (the other vb. “let” ‘to hinder’ occurs)
1.
to allow to
remain Wint. I. ii. 41.
2.
to forbear “to”
Lucr. 10
“did not let To praise
the clear unmatched red and
white.”
3.
with ellipsis of
‘go’ (very freq.) chiefly in the
imperative
Gent. III. ii. 91
“Let us into the
city,”
Mer.V. III. ii. 39
“let me to my
fortune,”
1H4 I. i. 91
“But let him from my
thoughts,”
H8 I. ii. 176
“Let him on,”
Troil. I. i. 5
“Let him to
field,”
Cym. IV. ii. 152
“I'll throw't into the
creek . . . and let it to the
sea.”
4.
special uses of the
imperative:— (i) “let
me have,” give me, tell me Gent. II. vii. 57, Cor. IV. v. 237; (ii)
“let him be,”
suppose him to be R2 I. i.
59, H8 IV. ii. 147; (iii)
“let me alone
for,” trust me for Tw.N. III. iv.
204.
5.
to cause
Ham. IV. vi. 11
“if your name be
Horatio, as I am let to know it
is”
(i.e. informed).
