let alone • let well alone let alone—(also: leave alone) not to mention; not counting: It is hard to get a gardener who can prune a gooseberry-bush, let alone raise a cucumber. let well alone—(also: leave well alone) make no change to smth. that is satisfactory (in case one makes things worse): Was he a fool? Could he not let well alone ? let go of someone • let someone go let go of someone—stop holding a person: He shouted at the cops, “Let go of me ! You have to let go of me!” let someone go—1. allow smb. to leave: Taking the man pris- oner might jeopardize the mission, so he decides to let the prisoner go . 2. discharge a person from employment: Since we are going away for the summer, we will have to let our housekeeper go . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase let oneself go1. throw off restraint in one’s behavior; act in defiance of social conventions: At a party, when Smith lets himself go , he can be quite amusing. 2. neglect one’s appearance, personal habits, etc.: She’s terribly depressed, but tries not “to let herself go ,” keeps young-looking. let go of something • let go with something let go of something—stop holding smth.; release smth.: As soon as I let go of the leash, the dog ran away. let go with something—give vent to laughter, angry words, etc.: The lawyer let go with a vicious attack on the tactics of his opponent. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase let something gopay no attention to smth.; neglect smth.: Robert let his teeth go when he was young and now he has to go to the dentist pretty often. let it all hang out • let it go hang let it all hang out—(coll.) let the truth be known; not dis- guise anything: No names, of course, will be used; he doesn’t expect everyone will be as willing as he is to let it all hang out . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase hang it all—(exclam.) used to express one’s anger, irri- tation, etc. (also: hang it): “Oh, hang it all , Kit, why don’t you say something?” let it go hang—1. (coll.) become indifferent to smth.; take no interest in smth.: Either you work on pronunciation very well, or you just let it go hang . 2. (exclam.) is used to express one’s anger or irritation with smth.: Love was the only thing in the world that mattered. Achievement — pah! Let it go hang ! let off steam • put on steam let off steam—(also: blow off steam) give vent to one’s repressed emotions (by talking in an unrestrained manner, etc.): This special session will give politicians a chance to let off steam . put on steam—(also: get up steam) build up strength or energy; become more active: Get on a little faster; put a little more steam on , ma’am, pray. let one’s hair down • put one’s hair up let one’s hair down—(also: let one’s back hair down) throw off restraint in one’s behavior: Those who are doomed to a life of formality look forward to the week-end when they can let their hair down . put one’s hair up—assume adult responsibilities: Lively young thing, I recall — but she’ll have put her hair up by now. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase lift someone’s hair—(U.S. hist.) scalp a person: They [Indians] wouldn’t hesitate to lift the hair of any lone white man. let someone down • let someone down easy let someone down—disappoint a person; fail to support or aid smb.: I leave it to you, Stephen. I know you’ll not let me down . Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase let up on someone—treat a person less harshly or severely: By the time Jon turned eight, our financial problems became so overwhelming that I began to let up on him. let someone down easy—(also: let someone down softly) treat a person considerately so as to spare his self-respect: The fact is, and I hope you would respect and appreciate this, I care for him enough to let him down easy . let someone in for something • let someone in on something let someone in for something—involve a person in smth. unpleasant; cause smb. to have trouble: The boy’s careless treatment of the car has let me in for a large repair bill. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase put someone in for something—enter a person for an examination, contest, etc.: How many of your runners are you putting in for the race? let someone in on something—make smth. such as a plan, agreement, etc. known to a person: He was let in on the arrangements without our consent. let someone off • let someone off the hook let someone off—excuse a person; not punish severely enough: “Are you going to let him off ?” demanded Denny suspiciously. “You never can be stiff in the back, Charley.” let someone off the hook—(also: get someone off the hook) free a person from difficulty, an embarrassing situation, etc.: The officer was pretty surprised at my tenacity, and it motivated him to let me off the hook . let someone stew • let someone stew in one’s own juice let someone stew—(also: leave someone stew) keep a person in a state of uneasy anticipation or suspense: For one delicious week I let him stew while he begged and pleaded for his career, his marriage, his reputation. let someone stew in one’s own juice—(also: leave someone stew in one’s own juice) leave a person to his own devices to suffer the consequences of his own actions: Some were saying “well he asked for it, now let him stew in his own juice .” Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase juice someone up—(sl.) stimulate or invigorate a person: He’s a former U.S. Navy pilot who was given pills to juice him up for long flights. let something slide • let something slip let something slide —1. let smth. take its own course: If Cal- ifornia was going to cost the Union so much, it would be better to let California slide . 2. neglect or ignore smth. such as one’s work, etc.: She let her lessons slide , preferring the company of her classmates in the residence. 3. (of an oppor- tunity, etc.) allow to slip away without being profitably em- ployed: Don’t let any chances slide past you, for your first may be your last. let something slip —1. = let something slide 2: He is too smart to let his work slip —rather, he has become a master at doing the minimal work needed to get by. 2. = let something slide 3: Every section of the community has an interest in the Initiative and as an area we mustn’t let the opportunity slip . 3. (also: let something slip out) say smth. without intending to: He care- lessly let slip this information in conversation with a journal- ist. let alone – 216 –