let in
let in — idiom
1. to open a door, gate, or other barrier so that a person or thing can come inside
to open a door, gate, or other barrier so that a person or thing can come inside a space
Andrés unlocked the front door and let his guests in from the rain.
let + person + in (literal entry)
The old window frame had gaps that let cold air in during winter.
let + thing + in (physical object)
Mei's cat sat by the back door until she let it in.
When the security guard saw the badge, he let the visitor in without delay.
You need a key card to be let in after office hours.
文法句型
let + object + in
用法筆記
With a pronoun object (me, him, her, it, us, them), the object must come between 'let' and 'in'. The passive form 'be let in' is common in formal or institutional settings.
常見錯誤
let in — phrasal verb
- lets in3rd person singular
- letting in-ing form
- let inpast simple
1. to fix a piece of material into a cut or recess in a flat surface, so that it si
to fix a piece of material into a cut or recess in a flat surface, so that it sits level with the surrounding area
The carpenter let a thin strip of walnut into the oak tabletop.
let + wood + in + surface (woodworking)
Nala learned to let a zipper into the side seam of her dress.
Felix let small pieces of coloured glass into the wall to make a pattern.
The jeweller let the precious stone into a custom gold setting.
文法句型
let + object + in + surface/material
用法筆記
Almost exclusively used in craft contexts (carpentry, sewing, jewellery). The preposition 'into' is required to specify the surface or setting.
常見錯誤
2. to cause someone to become involved in a difficult, unpleasant, or risky situati
to cause someone to become involved in a difficult, unpleasant, or risky situation — for example, signing a bad contract that lets you in for debt, or making a promise that lets you in for extra work
Kwame's curiosity let him in for a lot of trouble with the local authorities.
let + person + in for + trouble
By signing that contract without reading it, Mira let herself in for years of debt.
let + reflexive pronoun + in for
The manager's bad decisions let the whole team in for extra work on weekends.
Nobody warned her that the job would let her in for constant travel.
Vikram knew the risky investment could let him in for serious losses.
文法句型
let + object + in for + unpleasant situation
用法筆記
Always followed by 'for' and an unpleasant noun phrase. The situation must be unwanted or negative — it cannot be used with positive outcomes.
常見錯誤
3. to tell someone about a secret, plan, or piece of information that was previousl
to tell someone about a secret, plan, or piece of information that was previously kept hidden from them
Lien let her best friend in on the surprise party she was planning.
let + person + in on + secret plan
The hackers were let in on the security flaw by an insider at the company.
passive: be let in on + information
Walid's brother finally let him in on the family recipe.
The reporter was not let in on the details until the investigation was almost over.
Lukas let his partner in on the good news as soon as he heard it.
文法句型
let + object + in on + secret/plan/information
用法筆記
Always includes the preposition 'on' before the information shared. The passive form 'be let in on' is common.
常見錯誤
let in — adjective
1. describing a piece of clothing that has been altered by cutting the fabric and s
describing a piece of clothing that has been altered by cutting the fabric and sewing in extra material, usually to change the shape or improve the fit
The tailor returned a let-in waistcoat that now fit Rodrigo perfectly.
let-in + garment (tailoring context)
Jessica wore a let-in dress with contrasting panels sewn into the sides.
The antique jacket had a let-in back panel made from a different fabric.
A let-in sleeve gusset gave the dancer more freedom to raise her arms.
用法筆記
Primarily used in historical tailoring and costume-making contexts. Not common in everyday conversation about modern clothing.