# let slide

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/let-slide
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To allow the condition of something to deteriorate due to negligence or apathy.

## Examples

- He let his garden slide until the weeds took over.
- The manager noticed the team let their filing system slide, so he asked them to organize the office today.
- By choosing to let his physical health slide for many years, he eventually found himself struggling with basic daily tasks.

## Origin

From Middle English leten sliden (“to disregard, put aside, let pass, neglect”), equivalent to let + slide.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.