let slide by

let slide by

1. To allow one to succeed without putting in as much work or effort as is or should be normally required. A noun or pronoun is used between "slide" and "by." Because of his talent on the football field, his parents and teachers have all been letting him slide by with his studies. After having bosses that let me slide by so much in my last job, it's actually nice to have a bit more structure and accountability in the new office.
2. To allow someone or something to quickly pass by one. A noun or pronoun is used between "slide" and "by." Don't let anyone slide by you. We don't want the scene of the crime to be contaminated before the detectives have a chance to look things over. Their goalkeeper is not in his usual form today—that's the fourth goal he's let slide by already!
3. To fail to detect someone or something. A noun or pronoun is used between "slide" and "by." She has an eagle eye for mistakes—she hasn't let a single error slide by since she started proofreading for us. The inattentive security guard kept letting prisoners slide by into the storage room where contraband is stored.
4. To fail to remember something one had planned or scheduled. A noun or pronoun is used between "slide" and "by." I can't believe you let our meeting slide by—we've had that planned out for over a month! She lets everything else in his life slide by when she gets so focused on a project like this.
5. To allow a period of time to pass or be spent idly or without notice. A noun or pronoun is used between "slide" and "by." I don't want to let the whole summer slide by without going anywhere nice for a vacation. Sorry, I got distracted playing my game and ended up letting the afternoon slide by.
See also: by, let, slide
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

let someone slide by

Fig. to permit someone to get past a barrier or a challenge too easily. You let too many students slide by. You need to be more rigorous. Don't let even one unqualified person slide by!
See also: by, let, slide
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • involve with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
  • angle
  • angling
  • not do (someone or oneself) any favors
  • arrange for
  • arrange for some time
  • arrange some music for
  • ask back
References in periodicals archive
It doesn't matter what other people get away with that you can't seem to let slide by. It doesn't matter what you think is fair or how often things seem to be unlucky for you.
Don't get distracted from your goals
It seems like different groups or organizations pick and choose which issues to fuss and complain about, which sends contradictory messages about what's important and what people will let slide by. I would suggest that people have realistic expectations and call him out on all his decisions.
Not everything to everybody, especially black folks?
The "little" errors and omissions to which we may have become too accustomed or let slide by, in reality, can easily become big problems for our patients, or at the least, such an attitude can create an environment that is too laissez-faire for safe patient care.
Errors, preventable negative outcomes, and the role of the nurse
But this isn't the kind of thing one can just let slide by. There is no wiggle-room in his statement.
O.K., Jeff, you got my attention