let alone

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let alone

1. (idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) Much less; to say nothing of; used after one negative clause to introduce another, usually broader and more important clause, whose negation is implied by the negation of the first. However either of these instances mentioned can be applied with the use of let alone.

   He couldn't boil water, let alone prepare a dinner for eight.

2. (idiomatic, chiefly in the positive, rare) Not to mention, as well as; used after one item, to introduce a further item which is entailed by the first. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

• Sometimes used with the order of items reversed.

• a fortiori

• Charles J. Fillmore, Paul Kay, Catherine O'Connor (September 1988) "Regularity and idiomaticity in grammatical constructions: The case of let alone" Language (Vol.64 No.3) pp.501-538
• Mark Liberman (24 February 2011) "Much less/Or even" Language Log
• E. Ward Gilman (editor) Merriam–Webster's Dictionary of English Usage p.596, Merriam–Webster, 1994 →ISBN.

let alone (third-person singular simple present lets alone, present participle letting alone, simple past and past participle let alone)

1. (transitive) To leave alone, let be; to stop bothering.

   Synonym: leave alone

   I wish he would let me alone so I could get some sleep.

2. (transitive, colloquial, dated) To rely on (a person) to do something.
   • 1838, Marguerite Countess of Blessington, The Works of Lady Blessington (page 223)

     Oh! let him alone for that. He's the boy that can get out of a scrape.

   • 1849, William Carleton, Tales and Sketches, page 81:

     "It's not easy gettin' as good," rejoined the old woman, "an' you ought to be very glad to win him, if you can."
     "Let me alone for that," said Sally.

• let it alone