let out

let out (third-person singular simple present lets out, present participle letting out, simple past and past participle let out)

1. (transitive) To release.

   The students were let out of school early.

   If you go into the aviary, don't let out any of the birds!

2. (Canada, US, intransitive) Of a school: to finish for the day or term, allowing the pupils to go home.
   • 1999, Laura Beckham, A Bad Seed: And Other Stories, page 47:

     We're gonna have practice tomorrow morning for an assembly we're giving on Thursday before school lets out for Easter.

3. To allow to operate at higher speed by adjusting controls.

   He let out the reins when they were a mile from the barn.

   The engineer let out the throttle after the train crossed the bridge.

4. To rent out.

   We let out the house and went on a two-year world trip.

5. (of clothing) To enlarge by adjusting one or more seams.

   Antonym: take in

   Coordinate term: let down

   After the holidays he had to have his suits let out.

6. (informal) Of sound, to emit.

   The dog let out a yelp.

   • 2009 October 29, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Mr Stink, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:

     For a moment Mr. Stink fell silent. Then he opened his mouth and let out the deepest darkest dirtiest burp.

7. To disclose.

   He accidentally let out the location for the meeting.

8. (transitive) To begin to tell a story.

• outlet