1851. F. E. Smedley, Lewis Arundel, i. 'You have brought a wild beast with you, which has eaten up all the tea-cakes.' 'Let alone fright'ning the blessed cat so that she's flowed up the chimley.'
1857. C. Reade, Never Too Late, xxxvi. The wind emptied a glass of the very moisture, let alone the liquid in a moment.
To let the cat out of the bag, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To reveal a secret; to put one's foot in it. See Cat, and add following quots.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxiv. 'I'm most afraid of your father, though, letting the cat out of the bag; he's such an old duffer to blow.'
1892. Ally Sloper's Half Holiday, 27 Feb., p. 67, col. 3. Cats, however, possess an exceptional faculty for letting things out of the bag, and Guy's and Violet's feline made its appearance.
To let daylight into, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To stab or shoot; to kill. See Second-hand daylight and Daylight.
To let down gently (or easy), verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To be lenient.
1836. M. Scott, Cruise of the Midge [Ry. ed. 1840, p. 140]. I did not know it, nor did I believe it, but, by way of letting him down gently, I said nothing.
1888. New York Sunday Despatch. If the royal parents wish to see their offsprings let down easy from their high estate, they will adopt this course.
2. (common).—To disappoint; to rebuff. Cf. let-down.
To let drive, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To aim a blow; to attack.
1593. Nashe, Strange Newes, in Works [Grosart], ii. 224. If he . . . let drive at him with a volley of verses.
1753. Foote, Englishman in Paris, i. But I let drive at the monk, made the soup-maigre rumble in his bread-*basket, and laid him sprawling.
1838. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 2nd S. ch. xiv. 'Now,' says I, 'my hearties, up and let drive at 'em, right over the wall!'
To let fly, verb. phr. (common).—To aim at; also to strike.
1647. Fletcher, Sea Voyage, ii. 2. Speak, or . . . I'll let fly at you all.
1671. Buckingham, The Rehearsal. And at that word, at t'other's head let fly a greasy plate.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress, 156. They, therefore, in angry manner, let fly at them again.
1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge, iii. 14. By cock, quote hee, Say you so, do you see, And then at him let flie.
1817. C. Lamb, Letters, 17 May. 'To Wm. Ayton Esq.' There'd be many a damme let fly at my presumption.
1860. Morning Post, 30 Jan. 'The Wit of Extravaganza.' He has been assaulted by another indewiddle, who 'At his physiognimy let fly, Gave him in fact a oner in the eye!'
1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 115, s.v.
1889. Sporting Times, 29 June. 'Another Turf Dispute.' Now, Maud was quite the 'lidy', but she let the language fly.
1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, 42. Sir Wilfrid really means to let fly at the shark.
To let go, verb. phr. (venery).—To achieve emission. See Come.
To let go the painter. See Painter.
To let in, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To deceive; to victimize; to cheat.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, lxxii. Affairs had been going ill with that gentleman: he had been let in terribly, he informed me, by Lord Levant's insolvency.
