# let

/ˈɫɛt/ (US) · /lˈɛt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/let
Updated: 2026-06-16

## Senses

### 3. to rent out

verb · CEFR B1 · British English

to allow someone to live in a house or room in exchange for money.

For teachers: to grant the use or occupation of property in exchange for rent. This usage is common in British English.

- They decided to let their spare room to a university student.
- The agency specializes in letting luxury apartments to corporate clients on short-term contracts.

### 4. to release

verb · CEFR B2

to allow a liquid or gas to flow out of something.

For teachers: to cause or allow the escape or release of a fluid or gas from a container.

- He let the air out of the tyres so the bike would be easier to store.
- The technician carefully let the steam out of the valve to reduce the pressure inside the boiler.

### 5. a rental

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a period of time when a property is rented out.

For teachers: an instance or period of renting out a property; often used to describe the property itself in a commercial context.

- The cottage is available for a short-term let during the summer months.
- After the previous tenants moved out, the landlord struggled to find a suitable long-term let for the commercial space.

### 6. tennis serve

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a situation in tennis where the ball hits the net but still lands in the right area.

For teachers: a serve that touches the net but lands in the correct service box, requiring the server to repeat the attempt.

- The umpire called a let, so the player had to serve again.
- The match was momentarily interrupted by a let, forcing the server to reset her focus before the second attempt.

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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.