LET OFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does let off mean? 

• LET OFF (verb)
  The verb LET OFF has 1 sense:

1. grant exemption or release to

  Familiarity information: LET OFF used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LET OFF (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Grant exemption or release to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

excuse; exempt; let off; relieve

Context example:

Please excuse me from this class

Hypernyms (to "let off" is one way to...):

absolve; free (let off the hook)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "let off"):

frank (exempt by means of an official pass or letter, as from customs or other checks)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sentence example:

Sam cannot let off Sue

 Context examples 

I shall do very well again after a little while—and then, it will be a good thing over; for they say every body is in love once in their lives, and I shall have been let off easily.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

She laid her hand on my arm, and hurried me on to one of the sombre streets, of which there are several in that part, where the houses were once fair dwellings in the occupation of single families, but have, and had, long degenerated into poor lodgings let off in rooms.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

They presented their compliments to Mr. Copperfield, and informed him that they had given his letter their best consideration, with a view to the happiness of both parties—which I thought rather an alarming expression, not only because of the use they had made of it in relation to the family difference before-mentioned, but because I had (and have all my life) observed that conventional phrases are a sort of fireworks, easily let off, and liable to take a great variety of shapes and colours not at all suggested by their original form.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)