forlet

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*fralētaną“to leave, dismiss”
2. Old English · inherited fromforlǣtan“to leave”
3. Middle English · inherited fromforleten“forsake, reject, renounce, omit, lose, forgive”
4. English todayforlet

From Middle English forleten (“forsake, reject, renounce, omit, lose, forgive”), from Old English forlǣtan (“to leave”), from Proto-Germanic *fralētaną (“to leave, dismiss”), equivalent to for- + let. Cognate with Scots forleet (“to forsake, abandon”), Saterland Frisian ferläite (“to forlet, abandon”), West Frisian forlitte (“to forlet”), Dutch verlaten (“to desert, abandon”), German verlassen (“to leave”), Swedish förlåta (“to excuse, forgive, remit”).

First known use, by meaning

• 10th–17th c. To abandon; give up; leave; leave behind; forsake; desert; neglect.