let’s split
informal expression; chiefly American

- let’s leave this place

- let’s depart or go away

- let’s get out of here

Cambridge Dictionary, Collins English Dictionary, Dictionary.com

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PHRASE ORIGIN

The verb split appeared in English during the late 16th century, originally meaning to cleave or divide something lengthways. It probably came from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German splitten, although its deeper ancestry remains uncertain.

The idea of separation produced numerous figurative senses: groups split, couples split up, and people split from a place. The last of these became established as American slang, especially in the 20th century. Its precise first appearance hasn’t been securely identified.

Let’s is the contracted form of let us. In let’s split, it turns the departure into a joint proposal rather than an order. Context is essential: at a dull party it means “let’s leave”, while beside a restaurant bill, “let’s split it” means something quite different—and potentially more expensive.

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HOW AN EXIT SHAPES MEMORY

A party can be splendid for three hours and still be remembered for the awkward argument beside the coat rack.

Psychologists use the term peak-end rule for our tendency to judge an experience largely by its most intense moment and its ending. We don’t simply calculate the average of every pleasant and unpleasant minute.

Researchers have found a pattern in patients recalling uncomfortable medical procedures. The final moments can influence the memory of the entire event surprisingly strongly, while its duration may matter less than expected.

This helps explain why departures carry disproportionate weight. A warm goodbye can polish the memory of a rather ordinary evening. A prolonged farewell, missed taxi or last-minute quarrel can stain an otherwise excellent one.

“Let’s split” sounds abrupt, but choosing the right moment to say it may determine how the whole occasion is remembered.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

let’s clear off, let’s get out of here, let’s scram (dated), LET’S SPLIT, let’s take off

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"LET'S SPLIT before it starts to rain."

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