letted: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely RareArchaic / Historical / Poetic
Quick answer
What does “letted” mean?
Obsolete or archaic past tense and past participle of the verb 'let', meaning to allow, permit, or to cause to happen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Obsolete or archaic past tense and past participle of the verb 'let', meaning to allow, permit, or to cause to happen.
Rarely used to deliberately evoke an archaic, historical, or poetic tone. In historical or re-enactment contexts, it can mean 'hindered' or 'obstructed' (from the older sense of 'let' as to prevent).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The historical legal phrase 'without let or hindrance' is slightly more attested in UK legal English. The archaic poetic form 'letted' is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, using 'letted' instead of 'let' (past) sounds old-fashioned, intentionally quaint, or like an error.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary spoken or written language in both UK and US English, except for deliberate stylistic or historical usage.
Grammar
How to Use “letted” in a Sentence
NP1 letted NP2 (inf.) - He letted them pass.NP1 letted NP2 - The obstacle letted his progress.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “letted” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gaoler finally letted the prisoner receive a visitor.
- In the old tale, the wizard letted no man cross the bridge.
American English
- The sheriff letted the posse search the barn.
- The treaty letted settlers pass through the territory.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Potentially only in historical or literary analysis texts when quoting older works.
Everyday
Not used; would be considered an error for 'let'.
Technical
Not used in modern technical writing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “letted”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “letted”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “letted”
- Using 'letted' as the past tense of 'let' in modern contexts (use 'let').
- Confusing it with 'let' meaning 'to lease' (past is also 'let').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in contemporary Standard English. It is an archaic past tense and past participle of 'let'. The correct modern past tense of 'let' (to allow) is 'let' (e.g., 'She let me go').
You might encounter it in works of historical fiction, poetry attempting an old-fashioned style, or in direct quotations from texts written before the 18th century.
One obsolete sense of 'let' meant to hinder or obstruct. In that sense, 'letted' would be the past tense. Its opposite in that sense would be 'facilitated' or 'allowed'.
No, unless you are deliberately creating an archaic, poetic, or historical effect and are confident your audience will understand the stylistic choice. In all normal contexts, it will be perceived as an error.
Obsolete or archaic past tense and past participle of the verb 'let', meaning to allow, permit, or to cause to happen.
Letted is usually archaic / historical / poetic in register.
Letted: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɛtɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɛt̬ɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “without let or hindrance (legal, formal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'LET' in the past, but now it's LET-TED (sounds like 'rusted') — an old, rusty form of the word.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF BARRIER IS FREEDOM (archaic form). BARRIER IS OBSTRUCTION (obsolete form).
Practice
Quiz
The word 'letted' in a modern context is best described as: