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lǽtan

  • verb
Dictionary links
Wright's OE grammar
§119; §511; §513;
Add:
trans.
to leave, allow to remain, abstain from taking away.
with noun object
Show examples

  • Hé on fæstre stówe lét sum his folc,

      Ors. 4, 9 ; S. 190, 1.

  • Hié þone óþerne dǽl þǽr léton þæt lond tó healdonne,

      1, 10 ; S. 46, 21.

  • Hwilce hwíle hine wille Drihten hér on worlde lǽtan,

      Bl. H. 125, 9.

  • Þú ne scealt nánnæ cláð betweón lǽtan þínum eágum and hym,

      Solil. H. 43, 16.
with clause
Show examples

  • Lǽt þé on gemyndum (keep in mind) hú þæt manegum wearð gefrége, An. 962. (1 α)

    to loose one's hold of, let go

    :-- Hé hǽt fealdan ꝥ segl, and eác hwílum lecgan þone mæst and lǽtan þa bǽtinge,
      Bt. 41, 3; F. 250, 15.
to leave undone, unaffected, &c.
Show examples

  • Gif preóst óðerne un*-*warnode lǽte,

      Ll. Th. ii. 294, 25 : 296, 15.

  • Hit is wóh ꝥ hí mon lǽte unwítnode . . . ðú ǽr cwǽde ꝥ hé unriht dyde, ꝥ hé léte unwítnod þá yfelan,

      Bt. 38, 3; F. 202, 6-13.

  • Lǽtan wrǽce stille, Gú. 170. (2 a)

    intrans. To desist

    from :-- On þane .VII. dæg lét Drehten fram ǽghwilcum weorce,
      Wlfst. 218, 26.

  • His sunu féng tó his eorldóme and lét of ðan þe hé ǽr hæfde,

      Chr. 1053 ; P. 182, 26.

  • Lǽtan desistamus,

      An. Ox. 56, 320.
to leave the control or management of something to some one else
Show examples

  • Þú þonne lǽtst eal eówer færeld tó þæs windes dóme,

      Bt. 7, 2; F. 18, 32.

  • Ne lǽt ðú tó aldiódgium ðínne weorðscipe

    ne des alienis honorem tuum

    ,
      Past. 249, 10.

  • Þonne sceal ic beó þæs geðafa and létan hyt tó þínum dóme,

      Solil. H. 32, 19.

  • Ic hæbbe ealle þá spǽce tó Ælfhége lǽten,

      Cht. Th. 208, 32.
to leave to an heir,
bequeath
Show examples

  • Míne sibbe ic lǽte eów,

      Past. 351, 12.

  • Eallne þone welan hí lǽtað (lǽfað, v. l.) fræmdum tó brúcanne

    alienum censum nutrit heredi,

      Bt. 11, 1 ; F. 32, 7.
to quit, abandon
Show examples

  • Wuton cunnian hwænne hine God lǽte

    Deus dereliquit eum

    ,
      Ps. Th. 70, 10.

  • Hé sceal lǽtan his wyrignesse and lufian his gebedu,

      Wlfst. 239, 19.

  • Beódan Abrahame of eorðscræfe ǽrist fremman, lǽtan landreste,

      An. 782.
to allow or cause the escape of a confined fluid,
to discharge a missile
Show examples

  • Þú þurh lyft lǽtest mildne morgenrén,

      Az. 82 : 135.

  • Hé hygegár léteð,

      Mód. 34.

  • Hé lǽteð foreweard hleór on strangne stán, Sal. 113. 'Tódǽlnessa ðára wætera út léton mín eágan.' Tódǽldu wæteru wé lǽtað út of úrum eágum

    'Divisiones aquarum deduxit oculus meus.' Divisas ex oculis aquas deducimus,

      Past. 413, 27.

  • Hé of stáne lét strange burnan,

      Ps. Th. 77, 17.

  • Hí þára bearna blód léton swá man gute wæter effuderunt sanguinem eorum sicut aquam, 78, 3. 'Lǽt forð ðíne willas.' . . . Ðæt is ðæt mon his wætru út lǽte

    'Deriventur fontes tui foras.' . . . Fontes foras derivare est,

      Past. 373, 12-16.
to allow to have
Show examples

  • Þá bæd Eustachius ꝥ hí him fyrst léton ꝥ hí him tó Gode gebǽdon,

      Hml. S. 30, 424.
to grant temporary possession of something to (
to ) a person
Show examples

  • Úre Drihten is swíþe gemyndig ealra þára gifena þe hé ús tó lǽteþ,

      Bl. H. 51, 24.

  • Eádmund oferhergode Cumbraland and hit lét tó eal (eall tó,

    v. l.

    )

  • Hé geann Leófsige þæs mannes þe hé him ǽr tó lét,

      Cht. Crw. 23, 18.

  • Dúnsǽte beþyrfan, gif heom se cyning an, ꝥ man húru friðgíslas tó heom lǽte

    Dunsetis expedit, si rex concedat, ut saltem pacis obsides habeant

    ,
      Ll. Th. i. 356, 21.
to allow or cause to pass or go, lǽtan of
to let off
Show examples

  • Ic léte hǽþen folc ofer iów

    I will send heathen folk upon you

    ,
      Wlfst. 223, 12.

  • Hé hine sóna hider lǽt

    continuo illum dimittet huc

    ,
      Mk. 11, 3.

  • Hé ne lét ná of gebedum his gást

    he did not let his spirit off prayers

    ,
      Hml. S. 31, 1357.

  • Dém þú hí tó deáðe, swá tó lífe lǽt, swá þé leófre sý,

      Jul. 88.

  • Gif se hláford mildheort bið, ꝥ hé þá gýmeleáste tó forgyfenesse lǽte,

      Ll. Thi. 270, 19.

  • Hét se cásere lǽtan león and beran tó þám cynegum,

      Hml. S. 24, 29.
  • Hé hét lǽtan him tó twégen león, 51.

  • Hé hét áne strange leó lǽtan intó him,

      30, 416.
  • Heó hire mód ongan lǽtan æfter þám lárum Gen. 592.

  • Swá mycele furðor swá hé on háde is lǽten,

      R. Ben. 112, 2.
followed by an infinitive.
to permit, allow, suffer.
where the infinitive has a subject, and is
intrans.
Show examples

  • Hí ne lǽt God on áne healfe þæs heofones bión,

      Bt. 39, 13; F. 234, 8.

  • Ic wundrige for hwý God lǽte ǽnig yfel beón, oððe gif hé hit geþafian wile . . . ,

      36, 1; F. 172, 5.

  • Ðæt hé his feax léte weaxan,

      Past. 139, 25.
trans.
Show examples

  • Ne lǽte gé eów ǽlcre láre wind áweccgan,

      Past. 306, 8.

  • Him wǽre micel ðearf ðæt hié léten Godes ege hié geeáðmédan,

      321, 12.
where the infinitive is without subject and where now a passive construction may replace the earlier active
Show examples

  • Lǽt þé fullian

    let yourself be baptized,

      Hml. S. 5, 204.

  • Ne léten hié nó hié on ǽlce healfe gebígean

    they would not let themselves be inclined to every side

    ,
      Past. 306, 4.
to cause, let (in to
let a person know).
where the following infinitive has a subject
Show examples

  • Ic lǽte hig ætwindan tó wuda

    dimitto eos avolar ad sylvam

    ,
      Coll. M. 26, 3 : Gen. 438.
  • Ic sígan lǽte wællregn, 1349.

  • Hé leórt tácen forð úp éðigean,

      El. 1105.
where the infinitive is without subject (cf. 1 b)
Show examples

  • Þú of foldan fódder neátum lǽtest álǽdan

    producens foenum jumentis

    ,
      Ps. Th. 103, 13.

  • Se cyng lét tóscyfton þone here geond eall þis land,

      Chr. 1085; P. 216, 1.

  • Lǽt inc geséman,

      Past. 349, 12.
in the imperative as an auxiliary
Show examples

  • Lǽt gán ðín eágean beforan ðínum fótum

    palpebrae tuae praecedant gressus tuos

    ,
      Past. 287, 12.

  • Lǽt ðíne willas iernan wíde, and tódǽl hié

    deriventur fontes tui foras, et divide

    ,
      373, 4.

  • Hláford, gif þín willa sý, lǽt sendan (sænde man, v. l.) ǽrendracan

    mittatur, si placet, qui huc eum exhibeat

    ,
      Gr. D. 35, 9.
to behave, appear, think.
intrans. to behave so and so,
have the appearance of being, make as though
Show examples

  • Hé lǽt him eáðelíce ymbe þæt

    he takes that very easily

    ,
      Wlfst. 298, 30.

  • Þæt mancyn . . . þæs him náht ne ondrǽdað, ac him orsorh lǽtað (

    profess to be unconcerned

    ),
      182, 15.

  • Se kyngc lét líhtlíce of oð ꝥ hé cóm tó Englalande, and hine lét syððan tacan

    the king made light of it till he came to England, and afterwards had him taken

    ,
      Chr. 1076; P. 211, 34.

  • Ealle hí léton swilce hí on ǽfen slépon, and sóna ðæs on morgen of ðám slǽpe áwacedon they all comported themselves as if they had gone to sleep in the evening and soon after in the morning had waked from their sleep, Hml. S. 23, 440. (1 a) reflex., to show oneself so and so :-- Heó efenwyrðe hí lét on eallum þingum þám bisceope

    condignam se in omnibus episcopo praebuit

    ,
      Bd. 4, 6; Sch. 384, 4.
trans,
with object and complement.
the object a noun, or pronoun,
to regard as
Show examples

  • Ic for náht lǽte

    floci fero

    ,
      Germ. 393, 140.

  • Ic hine gelícne lǽte wísum were

    similabo eum uiro sapienti

    ,
      R. Ben. 4, 12.

  • Hé bið tó eáðmód ðám yflan mannan, and lǽt hine him tó gelícne (

    regards him too much as an equal

    ),
      Past. 121, 21.

  • Wé ðisses middangeardes welan foresettað and ús leófran lǽtað ðonne ðá lufan þára heofonlicra eádignessa

    cum mundi diuitias amori caelestium praeponimus

    ,
      Bd. 3, 19; Sch. 279, 2.

  • Ǽlc wóh gé lǽtað tó rihte,

      Wlfst. 297, 27.

  • Þǽm þe nán þing him leófre ne lǽtað þonne Críst

    his qui nihil sibi Christus carius aliquid existimant

    ,
      R. Ben. 19, 15.

  • Þára hrægla þe nú drihtguman diórost lǽtað,

      Met. 8, 11.

  • Drihten lét hine him swá leófne ꝥ hé ne geþolode ꝥ hé wǽre medmycelne fyrst geunrótsod

    hunc quam dilectum Dominus attendet, quem contristari nec ad modicum pertulit

    ,
      Gr. D. 90, 15.

  • Apollinis þe hí mǽrne god léton,

      Wlfst. 197, 19.

  • Lǽt ðé ǽlcne mannan . . . swá leófne swá bróðor,

      Hex. 44, 24: Fä. 12 : Angl. xii. 516, 24.

  • Ðæt hé ðá ðe him underðiédde sién lǽte him gelíce

    aequalem se subditis deputet

    ,
      Past. 107, 15.

  • Ðæt hié lǽten him ðæt tó genyhte ðæt hié him sellen,

      320, 1.

  • Ðǽr hié ne wénden ðæt hié selfe beteran wǽren ðonne óðre menn, ðæt hié ne lǽten hiera geðeaht and hiera wénan suá feor beforan ealra óðerra monna wénan

    nisi meliores se ceteris aestimarent, nequaquam cunctorum consilia suae deliberationi postponerent

    ,
      306, 1.

  • Him þás woruld úttor lǽtan þonne þæt éce lif,

      Gú. 97.

  • Gif þú ðé wilt dón manegra beteran, ðonne scealt þú ðé lǽtan ánes wyrsan,

      Bt. 32, 1 ; F. 114, 14.

  • Tó hwǽm wé gelíc létan welle ríce Godes ?

    cui adsimilabimus regnum Dei ?

    ,
      Mk. R. L. 4, 30.
with object alone.
the object a noun,
to suppose something
Show examples

  • Nán þridde be him sylfum ne lét hé búton swilce hé of his gemynde wǽre he had no third supposition about himself except it was as if he were out of his mind, Hml. S. 23, 634. (αα) to esteem (?) :-- Him ne bið lǽten gold ne seolfor

    neither gold nor silver is held precious by them

    ,
      Verc. Först. 106, 15.
the object a clause,
to consider that
Show examples

  • Swá ic lǽte on mínum geþance ꝥ mé tó nánre byrig swá rihte ne gebyrige swá tó þissere byrig,

      Hml. S. 23, 675.

  • Hé lǽt þæt hé ána sý strengra þonne hí ealle,

      Wlfst. 197, 21.

  • Ic lǽte riht (

    justum censeo

    ) . . . ꝥ sé þe þone hearm geworhte, ꝥ sé þone hearm gebéte,
      Ll. Th. i. 418, 4.

  • Hé lét him tó rǽde ꝥ (

    what

    ) hé þá gerǽdde,
      Hml. S. 23, 319.

  • Þæt hé lǽte him tó bysne hú þá feónd forwurdon

    that he regard the fall of the angels as an example for himself

    ,
      Sat. 196.
in phrases
with adj., án lǽtan,
to let alone, not to meddle with
Show examples

  • Gif hié þone wæstm án lǽtan wolden,

      Gen. 644.
with verb in infin., beón lǽtan
to let be, cease from
Show examples

  • Uton lǽtan bión þás sprǽce,

      Bt. 34, 7 ; F. 144, 18.
with adverb.
behindan,
to leave behind (one),
go away without
Show examples

  • Þé behindan ne lǽt, þonne þú heonan cyrre, mænigo þus micle,

      Cri. 155.
to
pass beyond, outstrip
Show examples

  • Ðonne bist þú bufan ðám rodore, and lǽtst behindan þé þone héhstan heofon,

      Bt. 36, 2; F. 174, 16 : Met. 24, 29.
fram,
to start from a port
Show examples

  • Wé nó geseóð þá stilnesse þǽre hýþe þe wé ǽr fram léton,

      Gr. D. 6, 19.
ofdúne, to let down, to cause or
allow to descend
Show examples

  • Hié léton hiera hrægl ofdúne tó fótum,

      Ors. 3, 5; S. 106, 19,
úp,
to put ashore
Show examples

  • Hé cóm tó Sandwíc and lét þǽr úp (lét dón úp,

    v. l.

    ) þá gíslas,
      Chr. 1014; P. 145, 23.
út,
to put to sea
Show examples

  • Godwine eorl . . . lét út áne dǽge ǽr midsumeres mæsseǽfene,

      Chr. 1052 ; P. 177, 11.

  • Sóna þæs ðe hí on scip eódon and út léton,

      Bd. 3, 15 ; Sch. 263, 6.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “lǽtan.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/54209.

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  • lǽtan, v.

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