[Vocabulary] Let Ben meet Ann (e.g. at the station): can it be a suggestion?

The word "let" has several meanings in dictionaries. Among them I haven't found the meaning which I thought should be there - "to suggest that somebody should do something" (as it is in my language). Can I say the phrase in the title to a third person with the meaning "I suggest that Ben meet Ann"? If yes, why is this meaning not described in dictionaries (your ideas)?:-?

P.S.1. I am not asking about the meaning "to allow / permit somebody to do something", I am interested in the one I have described with the context "I have a good idea - let Ben meet Ann (and show her around the city)". :?:
P.S.2. Is the negative form "Don't let's do it" used as often as "Let's not do it"?

englishhobby said:

The word "let" has several meanings in dictionaries. Among them I haven't found the meaning which I thought should be there - "to suggest that somebody should do something" (as it is in my language). Can I say the phrase in the title to a third person with the meaning "I suggest that Ben meet Ann"? If yes, why is this meaning not described in dictionaries (your ideas)?:-?

P.S.1. I am not asking about the meaning "to allow / permit somebody to do something", I am interested in the one I have described with the context "I have a good idea - let Ben meet Ann (and show her around the city)". :?:
P.S.2. Is the negative form "Don't let's do it" used as often as "Let's not do it"? :?:

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Yes it can be a suggestion or even stronger. I don't know what dictionary you used, but see the definitions and uses (#3) here: let - definition of let by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

englishhobby said:

Can I say the phrase in the title to a third person with the meaning "I suggest that Ben meet Ann"? Yes.

If yes, why is this meaning not described in dictionaries? See VB 2 here (note the word 'proposal').



P.S.2. Is the negative form "Don't let's do it" used as often as "Let's not do it"? No — nothing like as often.

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Have you bookmarked OneLook.com?

Rover

Rover_KE said:

Have you bookmarked OneLook.com?

Rover

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Not before you wrote it.)) Now I have.

englishhobby said:

Thank you. And if I were the boss would it be possible for me to say "Let them finish the job!" as a command to one of my subordinates who has to tell others to stop working (meaning something like "tell them to finish the job")?

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I'm not sure I understand what you are asking. How could the others finish the job if they were told to stop working?

MikeNewYork said:

Yes it can be a suggestion or even stronger.

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Thank you. So it can be even as strong as a command. And if I were the boss would it be possible for me to say "Let them finish the job!" as a command to one of my subordinates who has to tell others to stop working (meaning something like "tell them to finish the job")? Will it have the same meaning as "tell them to finish the job"?
:?:

englishhobby said:

Thank you. So it can be even as strong as a command. And if I were the boss would it be possible for me to say "Let them finish the job!" as a command to one of my subordinates who has to tell others to stop working (meaning something like "tell them to finish the job")? Will it have the same meaning as "tell them to finish the job"?
:?:

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We are talking in circles. "Tell them to finish the job means more than one person (them). One of your subordinates is him/her.

MikeNewYork said:

We are talking in circles. "Tell them to finish the job means more than one person (them). One of your subordinates is him/her.

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Sorry, my example was confusing because I didn't notice the difference between "to stop working" and "to finish the job" (I wrongly regarded them as synonymic expressions))). It was really silly of me.

Now let me try again. One of my subordinates is Bob. Can I say to Bob: "Bob, it's time to have a break! Let them (my other subordinates) stop working!" (I want Bob to go to my other subordinates and tell them to stop working). Will it be the same as if I said: "Bob, tell them to stop working! It's time to have a break!" (That's the context I meant from the very beginning but for that confusing mistake with "stop working" and "finish the job".)

englishhobby said:

Sorry, my example was confusing because I didn't notice the difference between "to stop working" and "to finish the job" (I wrongly regarded them as synonymic expressions))). It was really silly of me.

Now let me try again. One of my subordinates is Bob. Can I say to Bob: "Bob, it's time to have a break! Let them (my other subordinates) stop working!" (I want Bob to go to my other subordinates and tell them to stop working). Will it be the same as if I said: "Bob, tell them to stop working! It's time to have a break!" (That's the context I meant from the very beginning but for that confusing mistake with "stop working" and "finish the job".)

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If I was Bob [a worker not in any position of responsibility] and you said that to me, I wouldn't necessarily understand that you specifically wanted me to tell the others to stop working. It might depend on how you said it. However, if Bob was in charge of the other workers, then I'm sure he would understand that it was his duty to pass your instructions on to the others.
Interestingly, if you said "Don't let them stop working", then Bob - whatever his status - would be in no doubt that you wanted him to make sure that the others kept working. To sum up: although "let" may be used as a direct request or command, it can be mistaken as a passive sort of permission or acceptance; "don't let" is always an unambiguous command.