let her rip
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Let it (an engine, etc.) go as fast as it can.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “let her rip” mean?
Let it (an engine, etc.) go as fast as it can.
Is “let her rip” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.