Forms: 2–6 lette, pl. letten, 4 leet, leit, 4–5 late, lete, 4–6 lat, 4–9 lett, 5 lytt, 6 leatte, 4– let. [f. LET v.2] Hindrance, stoppage, obstruction; also, something that hinders, an impediment. Now arch.: most common in phrase let or hindrance. (Cf. ME. LITE.)
In ME. verse the phr. without(en let (Sc. but let) is frequent, often as a mere expletive.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 239. Oðer hit wrð ȝewasse iþer pine of þe deaðe þe he her þaleð oðer efter mid eðelice lette.
c. 1275. Lay., 4572. He þohte habbe Delgan cwene of Denemarche ac him com mochel lette [c. 1205 lætting] ase him was alre loþest.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7395 (Gött.). Þai did him fett widuten lett. Ibid., 8123 (Cott.). On nan-kyn lim ne had þai lett, For in þair sted ilkan war sette.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 179. Syne to Scone in hy raid he, And wes maid king but langir let.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 321. Moyses … hadde a lette of his tonge.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 92. Ther ben othre vices slowe, Whiche unto love don gret lette, If thou thin herte upon hem sette.
1432. Paston Lett., I. 31. For the … eschuyng of eny thing that mighte yeve empeschement or let therto.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. xii. 142. Quhat is the let I may the nocht embrace?
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, I. ii. (1634), 21. By which meanes the foresayd muscles … haue the lesse impediment or let in their motion.
1549. Act 3 & 4 Edw. VI., c. 1 § 2. The said Offices have remained void for a long Time, to the great Let of Justice.
1562. Bulleyn, Bk. Simples, 55 b. The herbe wil growe in Englande also, if idlenes wer not the let.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 118. After which so great a victorie … the Turks without let or stay overran all the countrey.
1607. Middleton, Michaelmas Term, IV. i. He may undoubtedly enter upon it without the let or molestation of any man.
1635. Barriffe, Mil. Discipl., xcv. (1643), 306. Vneven, rough, bushie, and hilly grounds, are all lets and impediments to the horse.
1640. Brome, Sparagus Gard., I. ii. Wks. 1873, III. 123. Love … through a thousand lets will find a way To his desired end.
1649. Arnway, Tablet (ed. 2), 67. As singularity of Gifts recompenced His naturall let in speech.
1704. F. Fuller, Med. Gymn. (1711), 200. There is a great Lett of insensible Perspiration.
1710. Berkeley, Princ. Hum. Knowl., Introd. § 4. Those lets and difficulties, which stay and embarrass the mind in its search after truth.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, viii. 79. At last all let and hindrance to the merry lady ceased by the sudden death of her husband.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, ii. 159. Each man would have a portion of time to himself in which he was allowed to do what he chose without let or inquiry.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. v. 370. The enemy wrought his will without let or hindrance.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xxi. 532. To maintain quarrels … to the let and disturbance of the common law.
2. In Fives, Rackets, and Lawn-tennis. Obstruction of the ball in certain ways specified in the rules, on account of which the ball must be served again.
1871. ‘Stonehenge,’ Rural Sports (ed. 9), 635/1. [Rackets] After the service … a ball hitting the gallery-netting, posts, or cushions, in returning from the front wall, is a let.
1885. Laws Lawn Tennis, It is a let if the ball served touch the net, provided the service be otherwise good…. In case of a let, the service or stroke counts for nothing, and the Server shall serve again.
1890. A. C. Ainger, Fives, in Tennis, etc. (Badm. Libr.), 465 Rules. A ‘let’ may be claimed when a player is in any way prevented from returning or impeded in his attempt to return the ball by one of the opposite side.
attrib. 1819. Examiner, 7 Feb., in Hazlitt’s Table Talk (1870), 118. His [Cavanagh the fives-player’s] blows were not … let balls like the Edinburgh Review.
1890. Pleydell-Bouverie, Rackets, in Tennis, etc. (Badm. Libr.), 403. Do not be absurdly modest about claiming a ‘let’ ball.
