let go

Verb

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

1. (intransitive, transitive, with-of) To release from one's grasp; to go from a state of holding on to a state of no longer holding on.
   • You're hurting him! Let him go!
   • Let go of the phone.

   Synonyms:

   release, unhand, leggo, relinquish

2. To emotionally disengage or distract oneself from a situation.
   • You are supported, so you can just let go and relax. Inhale and slowly exhale.2010, Gary Haymes, Go Beyond Stress
3. (euphemistic) To dismiss from employment.
   • The secretary didn't work out, so her boss told her she was being let go.
   • Puel was let go in June despite leading Southampton to their first major final for 14 years and an eighth-place finish in the Premier League. But apparently his style was too boring and some players and many fans disliked his method, so he had to go – fair enough but look at them now.2017 October 14, Paul Doyle, “Mauricio Pellegrino yet to find attacking solution for stuttering Southampton”, in the Guardian

   Synonyms:

   decruit, dehire, unhire, lay off, fire, axe, can, discard, remove, discharge

4. (transitive) To ignore (a comment, etc.).
   • Cora gave her shoulders a rebellious toss. "I'm sick of always getting oysters; I'd sooner come out with you." Bradly let that go. "You had enough money this week without getting oysters, didn't you?"1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 135
5. (euphemistic, transitive) To fail to maintain a standard of appearance, behavior, or performance.
   1. (euphemistic, transitive, usually reflexively) To gain weight.
      • Wow, dude! You've really let yourself go this time!
6. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see let, go.
   • Please, Mom, can you let me go to her party?
   • We shan’t let our old car go to anyone for less than 15 grand.