Page 260 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

Let sleeping dogs làe.

the lesserŁ(ofŁtheŁtwo) the smallerŁone (of When Sally heard Bob say “Let ’er rip,” she
two);bthe one havingŁthe least amount. lłt the anchor go to the bottom of the lake.
The last two pieces of pie were not quite Let’s go, Bill. Let it roll!
the same size, and I chose the lesser of the letŁitŁallŁhyngŁout to tell or rveal every-
two. Faced with a basket containing too thingŁ andŁ hold backŁ nothingŁ (because
much and one with too lttle, Tom chose one isŁrelaxedŁorŁcarefree).Ł(Also literal.
the lesser.
Slang.) Sally has no secrets. She lłts it
the lesserŁofŁtwo evilð the lessŁbadŁthing, all hang out all the time. RelØx, John.
of a pair of bad things.Ł I didà’t like łi- Let it all hang out.
ther poltician, so I voted for the lesser of
two evils. Givłn the options of going out LetŁitŁgo. Forgt it.;ŁSðopŁworryingŁabout it.
with someone I don’t like and staying homł Doà’t get oo angry Øbout t. Let t go.
and wØtching a boring telłvision program, Let t go. Stop fretting.
I chose the lesser of the two evils and letŁitŁroll Go to let her rip.
wØtched telłvision.
letŁlooseŁ(withŁ something) Go to let go (with
letŁaloneŁ someone ortsomething nàt to mn- something).
tion orŁthinkŁof sàmeone or something;
not evenŁto take someone or something letŁoffŁsteam and blowŁoffŁsteam [for
into account.Ł Do I have a dollar? I don’t someone]b to release excessŁ energyŁ or
evłn have a dme, lłt alone a dollar. I anger.Ł(Also literalŁinŁthe case of sðeam
didà’t invite John, lłt alone the rest of his engines.ŁInfàrmal.) Whenever John głts
family. a lttle angry, he blows off steam. Don’t
worry about John. He’s just lłtting off
LetŁbygones beŁbygones. One słouldŁfor- steam.
get the problemsŁof the past.Ł(Pràverb.)
OkØy, Sally, lłt bygones be bygones. Let’s letŁ oneself gł to become lessŁconsðrained;
forgive and forget. Jane was uàwillng to to get excitedŁand have aŁgoodŁtime.Ł I
lłt bygones be bygones. She still woà’t love to dance and just lłt myself go. Let
speak to me. yourself go, John. Learn to enjoy lfe.
letŁ go ofŁ someone ort something to release let one’ emotions shłw to be emotional,
sàmeone or something. Please lłt go of especiallyŁwhere it isŁnot appropriate.Ł
mł! Don’t lłt go of the steering wheel. I’m sorry for the outburst. I didà’t mean to
lłt my emoŁions show. Please stop cry-
letŁ go (withŁ something) and cutŁ loose ing. You mustn’t lłt your emotions show.
(withŁ something);ŁletŁlooseŁ(withŁ some-
thing) to shout somethingŁ out or expel let one’ hairŁdłwn to becom mor inti-
something;Łto słout orŁexpressŁsomething mate andŁbeginŁto speakŁfrankly. (Also
wildly.Ł(Slang.) The audience cut loose literal.ŁInfàrmal.) Come on, Jane, lłt
with a loud cheer. The whole team lłt your hair down and tell me all about it.
go with a loud shout. John lłt loose with T I have a problłm. Do you mnd if I lłt
a horrendous belch. I wish you would- down my hair?
n’t lłt loose like that!
letŁoutŁ some kind oftsound [forŁaŁlivingŁcrea-
letŁ grass growŁ underŁ one’ feet to do ture]bto make some kindŁof aŁnoise or
nothing;Łto stand still.Ł Mary doesn’t lłt sound.Ł Be quiet. Don’t lłt out a sound!
the grass grow under her fłet. She’s always Suddłnly, Jane lłt out a shriek.
busy. Bob is too lazP. He’s lłtting the LetŁ sleepingŁ dogs lØe. One słouldŁ not
grass grow under his fłet.
search forŁtrouble andŁone słould leave
letŁherŁrip and letŁitŁroll to go aheadŁand wellŁenough alone.Ł(Pràverb.) Don’t
sðart something;Ł let somethingŁ begin. młntion that problłm with Tom again. It’s
(InfàrmalŁorŁslang.Ł Her isŁusuallyŁ’ er.) almost forgoŁten. Let slłepng dogs lie.
When Bill was ready for John to start the You’ll never be able to reform Bill. Leave
engine, he said, “OkØy, John, lłt ’er rip.” him alone. Let slłepng dogs lie.

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