let down

To disappoint someone by failing to do what they hoped or expected.

• Please do not let me down.
• He let the team down by arriving late.
• Have we ever let you down before?

How to use it: let someone down (I am sorry I let you down.)

Similar words: disappoint, fail

Common phrases: let someone down, let the team down

To allow someone or something to move to a lower position.

• Let down the ladder, please.
• She let her hair down before washing it.
• They let the bucket down into the well.

How to use it: let something down (She let the basket down on a rope.)

Similar words: lower

Opposites: raise

Common phrases: let down a rope, let down your hair, let down a bucket

To make clothing longer by opening and sewing its folded lower edge again.

• Can you let down this skirt?
• She let the trousers down as her son grew.
• There is enough cloth to let the hem down.

How to use it: let something down (The tailor let the skirt down.)

Similar words: lengthen

Opposites: take up, shorten

Common phrases: let down trousers, let down a skirt, let down the hem

To work less hard or stop trying as hard as before.

• Do not let down before the finish.
• The team let down once they were ahead.
• We cannot afford to let down during the final week.

Similar words: ease off, slacken

Common phrases: let down slightly, let down halfway

To heat hardened metal so that it becomes less hard and breaks less easily.

• Heat can let down hardened steel.
• The smith let the blade down after hardening it.
• These tools must be let down to reduce their brittleness.

How to use it: let something down (The smith let the hardened steel down.)

Similar words: temper

Opposites: harden

Common phrases: let down steel, let down tools

To make a thick liquid thinner, usually by adding another liquid.

• You can let down this paint.
• She let the varnish down with a suitable solvent.
• The mixture needs letting down before we spray it.

How to use it: let something down with something (Let the paint down with a little water.)

Similar words: thin, dilute

Opposites: thicken

Common phrases: let down paint, let down varnish