let go

1. Allow to escape, set free, as in The police decided to let him go . [c. 1300]

2. Also, let go of . Release one's hold on, as in Please let go of my sleeve , or Once he starts on this subject, he never lets go . [Early 1400s]

3. let it go . Allow it to stand or be accepted. For example, Let it go; we needn't discuss it further . This usage is sometimes amplified to let it go at that , meaning “allow matters to stand as they are.” [Late 1800s]

4. Cease to employ, dismiss, as in They had to let 20 workers go .

5. Also, let oneself go . Behave without restraint, abandon one's inhibitions; also, neglect one's personal hygiene and appearance. For example, When the music began, Jean let herself go and started a wild dance , or After her husband's death she let herself go, forgetting to bathe and staying in her nightgown all day . The first sense dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1900s.

Example Sentences

This program, however, requires homeless people to voluntarily accept services and let go of most of their personal belongings.

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But we let go, careful not to cross the boundary that had quietly become sacred between us.

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By listening to her mom and letting go, she could better handle her life.

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“The Company is aware of a lawsuit in the New York State Court filed by a former employee who was let go in a recent organizational restructuring,” a WPP spokesperson said in a statement.

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On Tuesday morning, those vocal fans got their wish, as Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont announced that Harrison had been let go weeks into his fifth season with the team.

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