To let drive, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To aim a blow; to attack.
1593. Nashe, Strange Newes, in Works [Grosart], ii. 224. If he ...
let drive at him with a volley of verses.
1753. Foote, Englishman in Paris, i. But I let drive at the monk,
made the soup-maigre rumble in his bread-basket, and laid him
sprawling.
1838. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 2nd S. ch. xiv. ‘Now,’ says I, ‘my
hearties, up and let drive at ’em, right over the wall!’
To let fly, verb. phr. (common).—To aim at; also to strike.
1647. Fletcher, Sea Voyage, ii. 2. Speak, or ... I’ll let fly at
you all.
1671. Buckingham, The Rehearsal. And at that word, at t’other’s
head let fly a greasy plate.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress, 156. They, therefore, in angry
manner, let fly at them again.
1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge, iii. 14. By cock, quote hee, Say you
so, do you see, And then at him let flie.
1817. C. Lamb, Letters, 17 May. ‘To Wm. Ayton Esq.’ There’d be many
a damme let fly at my presumption.
1860. Morning Post, 30 Jan. ‘The Wit of Extravaganza.’ He has been
assaulted by another indewiddle, who ‘At his physiognimy let fly,
Gave him in fact a oner in the eye!’
1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 115, s.v.
1889. Sporting Times, 29 June. ‘Another Turf Dispute.’ Now, Maud
was quite the ‘lidy’, but she let the language fly.
1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, 42. Sir Wilfrid really means to
let fly at the shark.
To let go, verb. phr. (venery).—To achieve emission. See Come.
To let go the painter. See Painter.
To let in, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To deceive; to victimize; to
cheat.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, lxxii. Affairs had been going ill with
that gentleman: he had been let in terribly, he informed me, by
Lord Levant’s insolvency.
1887. Nineteenth Century, xxii. 262. The farmer ... persists in
trying to convince himself that he was let in when he made himself
liable for the tithes.
1887. Field, 25 June. An owner may be let in for a fine.