What Does "let" Mean Here?

>"without let or hindrance" >phrase, LAW (UK specialized) > **without being prevented from doing something.** Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/without-let-or-hindrance Edit: format

When Hamlet says Unhand me, gentlemen. By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets me! he means I'll kill anyone who tries to stop me.

It’s an archaic use of the word that means obstruction or impediment.

As other commenters have said this is legal language, but it should also be noted that this usage is extremely obscure outside of this. If you say this really ever outside of a legal document not only will it sound incredibly weird, a lot of people won't even know what you are saying.

It's law language. Basically, doesn't change over centuries.

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Wow Israel even copied the UK passports

From [etymonline](https://www.etymonline.com/word/let#etymonline_v_6706): *Let (noun). "stoppage, obstruction"* ***(obsolete unless in legal contracts)****, late 12c., from archaic verb letten "to hinder,"...* \[emphasis added\] Most of the English speaking world practices some version of c[ommon law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_law), a tradition started in England around 1066. In a common law justice system, judges are supposed to base their decisions on based on what previous judges decided. Those judges based their decisions on what earlier judges decided, etc., etc.. This often leads to chains which are hundreds, if not over a thousand years old. As a result, legal documents can contain words that would be considered obsolete in any other setting.

This is not the usual word *let* meaning “allow”, this is a different word. This word *let* means “hindrance” or “delay”. It died out in common English, but it still gets used occasionally in legal language. The *let* here is actually a distant relative of the word *late*, both being descended from the same Proto-Germanic root *lataz* “late”.

You've already gotten the answer for what it means in this instance, but since you said you wanted to learn more about that word, there's also another usage that I find interesting. From the Old English lǣtan, "let" meant a number of things. Most common still in use today is "allow" but it also meant to loan or rent something to someone. You may still see "room to let" or something similar for places that have a spare room you can rent.

It is an old fashioned synonym of hindrance.

This is more of a legalese term meaning to hinder or stop. Otherwise, it’s rarely used in modern English, as it’s antiquated and literary (think Shakespeare).

In addition to the great answers about meaning and etymology, also see: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal\_doublet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_doublet)