let go
Definition
- Verb (Phrasal Verb):
- To stop holding something; to release one's physical grasp: To allow something that is being held to be free.
- To stop controlling or restraining something; to allow something to happen or end: To cease to hold back an emotion, a thought, or a situation.
- To dismiss or release someone from a job or responsibility: To end someone's employment or involvement.
Usage Examples
- Verb (Releasing a physical hold):
- Please let go of my arm; you're hurting me.
- The child wouldn't let go of the balloon.
- Verb (Ceasing emotional control):
- After the argument, she needed to just let go and have a good cry.
- It's time to let go of your anger and forgive him.
- Verb (Dismissing from a job):
- The company had to let go of twenty employees due to budget cuts.
- He was let go after the project failed.
Advanced Usage
- "let go and let God": A phrase advising one to stop trying to control a situation and trust in a higher power or fate.
- She was so stressed about the outcome that her friend told her, "You need to let go and let God."
- "let oneself go": To cease making an effort to maintain one's appearance, health, or standards.
- After retiring, he really let himself go and stopped exercising.
Variants and Related Words
- Let-go (noun, informal): An instance of dismissal from employment.
- The merger resulted in a lot of let-gos across the department.
- Letting go (gerund/noun phrase): The act or process of releasing.
- Letting go of past regrets is essential for happiness.
Synonyms
- Release: To set free from confinement or restraint.
- Relinquish: To voluntarily cease to keep or claim; to give up.
- Unhand (formal/literary): To release from the hand; to let go of.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Let go of: This is the separable form, often used with an object. The object can come between "let" and "go" or after "of."
- Let go of the past. OR Let the past go.
- Let someone/something go: To allow someone or something to leave or escape.
- The police officer let the suspect go due to lack of evidence.
Related Idioms
- Let it go: To stop worrying or being angry about something; to forgive and forget.
- I know he made a mistake, but you have to let it go and move on.
- Hang on/let go: A contrasting pair describing the choice between persevering and giving up.
- Sometimes the hardest decision is knowing when to hang on and when to let go.
Verb
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be relaxed
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Don't be so worried all the time--just let go!
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release, as from one's grip
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Let go of the door handle, please!
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relinquish your grip on the rope--you won't fall
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