Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[imchongjun]

Hello, teachers.
I have trouble understanding the phrase "let...down" in the following passage.

Landlady: I always hope to have gentlefolk for my lodgers, and could never bring myself to letting the rooms down by taking anyone who was not a gentleman...

I thought to "let...down" means to "disappoint", but to "disappoint the rooms" sounds ridiculous. What does it mean here?

[CP]

You are right that to let down means to disappoint, or to fail someone in some way. However, that is not the meaning here.

To let a room is to rent the room to someone. Boarding houses often have signs reading "Rooms to let" so people will know that the landlord or landlady (owner) is letting (renting) rooms out to boarders (renters).

Here, the landlady is saying she always lets her rooms to gentlemen, and never could bring herself to let them to anyone less than a gentleman -- to let them down from her high standard.

It is a creative use of the language, not a common use of to let down.
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[imchongjun]

Thank you, CP, for your explanation!! It is very clear!!