let alone

[suracta]

Hi
In his "Geniuses Being Together", McAlmon talks about a friend of his who has no particular taste for working :
"He was as ready to let any form of work alone as man can be, and withal he was a companionable soul and did not care about the other man’s work."

Does "let" have here the meaning of "let alone" more or less like "leave alone", meaning the protagonist want to keep away from work ?
Thank You

 

[BLUEGLAZE]

more or less like "leave alone", meaning the protagonist want to keep away from work ?

This is the meaning.

 

[lingobingo]

Agreed. But it’s easy to misread that construction at first sight. What it means is:
He was as ready as any man could be to avoid any form of work …

 

[ain'ttranslationfun?]

Yes, like "to avoid any form of work".