let alone
adverb
much less
-
she can't boil potatoes, let alone cook a meal
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but does he have the boldness, let alone the skill, of his own convictions — New Republic
no provision for the health of servants, let alone for their comfort — O.S.J.Gogarty
2.
a. : to refrain from interfering with : leave undisturbed
in the spring or summer, let nests alone — Boy Scout Handbook
the government … promised to let them alone in part of the Everglades — Marjory S. Douglas
could not let well enough alone — L.O.Coxe
— often used as an imperative
b. : to leave to oneself
the red-faced boy wanted nothing so much as to be let alone
her mother told her to let the frightened kitten alone
3. : to exclude from consideration
the … party is inclined to let nationalization pretty well alone — Alzada Comstock
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let alone
1. Not to mention, much less
2. To refrain from interference with
3. (imperative) trust (archaic)
• • •
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used for saying that something is even less likely to happen than another unlikely thing
I hardly have time to think these days, let alone relax.
Thesaurus: not likely to happen
synonym general words meaning to happen
synonym
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I
II
used to indicate that something is far less likely, possible, or suitable than something else already mentioned
he was incapable of leading a bowling team, let alone a country
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let alone
1
— used to refer to something that is even less likely or possible than the thing previously mentioned
I can barely understand it, let alone explain it.
2 let (someone or something) alone : to not bother or touch (someone or something)
All I ask is to be let alone. [=(more commonly) left alone]
I never did learn to let well enough alone. [=to leave well enough alone; to stop changing something that is already good enough]
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used after a statement to emphasize that because the first thing is not true or possible, the next thing cannot be true or possible either
•
There isn't enough room for us, let alone any guests.
•
I didn't have any clothes, let alone a passport.
Useful english dictionary.
2012.