1887. Nineteenth Century, xxii. 202. The farmer . . . persists in trying to convince himself that he was let in when he made himself liable for the tithes.
1887. Field, 25 June. An owner may be let in for a fine.
2. (University).—See quot.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, i. He has also been good enough to recommend to me many tradesmen . . . but, with the highest respect for friend Perkins (my scout) and his obliging friends, I shall make some inquiries before letting in with any of them.
To let into, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attack; to beat; to abuse.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. & Lon. Poor, vol. iii. p. 148. 'They got from six to nine months' imprisonment; and those that let into the police, eighteen months.'
To let off steam. See Steam.
To let on, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To betray; to admit; to seem.
1725. Ramsay [Poems (1800), ii. 100]. Let na on what's past.
d.1796. Burns, Last May a Braw Wooer. 'I never loot on that I ken'd it or car'd, But thought I might hae waur offers.'
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 1st S. ch. x. 'I'll tell you the secret, but you needn't let on to no one about it.'
1838. Neal, Charcoal Sketches, 74. But a man can't rise, after a royal hyst, without letting on he feels flat.
1843. Major Jones's Courtship, p. 84. The tears were runnin' out of my eyes; but I didn't want to let on, for fear it would make her feel bad.
1858. Dean Ramsay, Reminiscences. I saw Mr. at the meeting, but I never let on that I knew he was present.
1860. Boucicault, Colleen Bawn, i. 3. Don't let on to mortal that we're married.
1864. E. Yates, Broken to Hamers, ch. iv. p. 38 (1873). 'Never let on that he didn't know what it was; never changed a muscle of his face.'
1871. Binghamton Journal, April [quoted by De Vere]. 'Although the visitors, the gentlemanly keeper, and the prison-chaplain, all tried in every conceivable way to induce him to make a confession, he would never let on how the murder was committed, and all agree that Ruloff is the greatest mystery of the age.'
1879. Justin Mc. Carthy, Donna Quixote, ch. xxxiii. 'I knew it, though she wouldn't let on even to me.'
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xi. He let on once to me—that he was awfully cut up about my changing.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 52. 'Arry never let on to them Swiss as he felt on the swivel,—no fear!
To let oneself loose, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To speak, or launch out, without restraint.
To let out, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To disclose.
1878. Beadle, Western Scenes. 'You bile the pot, and when I have had a smoke I'll let out, but not afore.'
2. (colloquial).—To speak strongly.
1840. H. Cockton, Valentine Vox, xxxix. 'Does he marry her because he believes her to be engaging, and sweet tempered? A month after marriage she begins to let out in a style of which he cannot approve, by any means.'
1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 80. After dilating at some length on the imported candidate, who was his antagonist, he let himself out, on some of the measures he advocated.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, ix. Jim was just going to let out when he looked up and saw Miss Falkland looking at him.
3. (colloquial).—To strike out.
1869. H. J. Byron, Not Such a Fool as He Looks, p. 8. Mur. What did he do? Mou. Well, he let out. Mur. What! his language? Mou. No,
