let down

導出

[phrasal verb]

let (someone) down

a : to fail to give help or support to (someone who needs or expects it) : disappoint使失望；辜负

I promised Mary that I'd help her, and I can't let her down.我答应过要帮助玛丽，我不能让她失望。
It's my fault we lost the game. I let the team down.我们输掉了比赛，都是我的错。我辜负了全队。
He never lets down a friend in need.他从来不背弃危难中的朋友。

— sometimes used figuratively有时用作比喻

His judgment let him down. [=his judgment was poor; he made a bad decision]他的判断有误。

b : to make (someone) unhappy or displeased by not being as good as expected使沮丧；使不悦

The end of the story really let me down. = I felt let down by the end of the story. [=the end of the story was disappointing]故事的结尾真令我失望。

— see also letdown

◊ To let someone down easy/gently is to give someone unpleasant news in a gentle or kind way.委婉地告诉某人坏消息

She tried to let him down gently when she told him he didn't get the job.她尽量委婉地告诉他，他没有得到那份工作。
I knew I had to fire her, but I was trying to think of a way to let her down easy.我知道我不得不解雇她，但是我当时尽量想了一种委婉的方式来告诉她。

let (something) down or let down (something)

a : to cause or allow (something) to move down gradually慢慢放下（某物）

b : to make (a skirt, a pair of pants, etc.) longer加长（裙子、裤子等）

The pants were a little too short and needed to be let down a little.这条裤子有点太短了，需要加长一点。

— see also let your hair down at hair