let off

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

1. (transitive) To cause to explode or come out; to release.

   Stand back when you let off fireworks.

   to let off a fart

2. (transitive, idiomatic) To forgive and not punish.

   The boss let me off for breaking the office window, when in theory she could have fined me about 30 dollars.

• (cause to explode): detonate
• (forgive and not punish): excuse, pardon

• offlet