let slide

present singular third person lets slide · participle present letting slide

1. transitiveTo let go; to allow; to release; to pass over without action.

   Near-synonym: let ride

   4 more examples

   The police officer let the ticket slide when she found her brother-in-law's car illegally parked.

   The administrator let the minor infraction slide with only a disapproving look.

   With a calm carelessness letting each thing slide.

   The New Arcadia

   a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC

   Which statement Louis prudently let slide.

   1970, Larry Niven, Ringworld, page 277

   Synonyms: let something ride

2. To pass out of one's thought as not being of any consequence.
3. transitiveTo tolerate a violation of a norm from.

   The judge let me slide on the speeding, but not on a $200 seat-belt violation.

   1 more example

   I take it all, I let it slide But hey, you went too far this time

   2015 May 12, Rachel Platten, Jon Levine, Scott Jacoby, “Congratulations”, in Fight Song, performed by Rachel Platten

4. idiomaticTo allow the condition of something to deteriorate due to negligence or apathy.

   He let the farm slide after inheriting it from his father.

5. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see let, slide.