Meaning of set in English

We're not in a position to set any conditions - we'll have to accept what they offer us.
They need to set some boundaries of behaviour for that child.
My brother set the academic standards we all had to follow.
We have set ourselves a limit for our spending.
He sets us a great example by cycling to work every day.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Causing things to happen

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set verb (GET READY)

B2 [ T ]

to get something ready so that it comes into operation or can be used:

[ + to infinitive ] The heating is set to come on at 5 p.m.

Have you set up the DVD player?

I usually set my watch by the time on the computer.

He set the alarm for 7 a.m.

Will you set the table (= put plates, knives, forks, etc. on it ready for use), please?

[ T ]

to put furniture and other things on a stage so that it represents the time and the place in which the action of a play, film, or television programme is going to happen:

During the interval the stage was set for the second act.

More examplesFewer examples

She set her clock by the time on the computer.
I've set the alarm for 7.30.
I set the heating to come on at six.
The oven is set to come on automatically.
I set the washing machine for a delicate wash.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Preparing

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Cinema & theatre: production, direction & recording

set verb (FIX)

B1 [ T ]

to fix or make certain:

Has a date/time been set for the meeting yet?

The price of the house has been set at €425,000.

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to decide

decideI've decided to move to Sweden.
fixUK The price has been fixed at £10.
setHave you set a date for the wedding?
finalizeWe've chosen a venue for the wedding, but we haven't finalized the details yet.
settleOK then, we're going to Spain. That's settled.
settle on/uponHave you settled on a place to live yet?

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set into something/be set with something

If a precious stone is set in/into a piece of jewellery, or a piece of jewellery is set with a precious stone, the stone is fixed firmly to the piece of jewellery:

a gold ring with a diamond set into it

a brooch set with rubies and pearls

[ T ]

When a doctor sets a broken bone, he or she puts it into the right position so that it will heal.

[ I ]

When a broken bone sets, it heals in a particular position.

[ T ]

If you have your hair set, you have it arranged while it is wet so that it will be in a particular style when it is dry.

[ T ]

If you set a part of your body, you tighten the muscles around it in order to show that you are determined about something:

"I'm never going back to him," she said, setting her jaw firmly.

His face was set in determination.

[ I ]

If a liquid or soft material sets, it becomes firm or hard:

Leave the jelly in the fridge to set.

Don't walk on the concrete until it has set.

More examplesFewer examples

We set a date for a follow-up meeting.
Have you set a time for the next appointment?
The price of the boat was set too high for us.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Decisions and deciding

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Jewelry

Physiotherapy, massage & osteopathy

Recovering from illness

Hairdressing

Preparing

Physical & chemical processes

set verb (GIVE WORK)

B2 [ T ] UK

(US assign)

to give someone a piece of school work or homework to do:

My science teacher always sets a lot of homework.

What books have been set for this term?

[ + two objects ] What homework have you been set for the holidays?

[ T ]

to give someone a particular task to do:

Harry set them to work painting the walls.

[ + two objects ] We set the kids the task of clearing the snow from the drive.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Giving, providing and supplying

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set verb (MUSIC)

[ T ]

to write or provide music for a poem or other words so that they can be sung:

poems set to music

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Technical music terms

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set verb (SUN)

B1 [ I ]

(of the sun, moon, or planets) to go down below the horizon (= the line at which the earth seems to join the sky):

We sat on the beach and watched the sun set.

The setting sun cast long shadows across the lawn.

See also

sunset noun

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Astronomy

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Idioms

not set the world on fire

set the scene/stage

Phrasal verbs

set about something
set about someone
set someone against someone
set something against something
set something/someone apart
set something aside
set someone back (something)
set something/someone back
set something back
set something down

More phrasal verbs

set someone down
set something forth
set in
set off/out
set something off
set someone off
set someone/something on someone
set on/upon someone
set out
set something out
set to
set something up
set someone up
set something/someone up
set (something) up
set yourself up as something

set

noun

/set/ us

/set/

set noun (GROUP)

A2 [ C ]

a group of similar things that belong together in some way:

We bought Charles and Mandy a set of cutlery as a wedding present.

I always keep a tool set in the back of my car.

The doctor said that he hadn't seen this particular set of symptoms before.

We need to establish a new set of priorities.

A2 [ C ]

a number of objects or pieces of equipment needed for a particular activity, especially playing a game:

a chess/train/chemistry set

a group of repeated movements performed as part of a period of physical exercise:

I did three sets of 10 push-ups every night before bed.

Sprint up the hill and jog down. Do three sets, then jog easy for 10 minutes.

[ C ] mathematics specialized

In mathematics, a set is a group of objects with stated characteristics.

[ C, + sing/pl verb ]

a group of people who have similar interests and ways of living:

the fashionable set

She's got in with a very arty set.

More examplesFewer examples

Government by coalition has its own peculiar set of problems.
A set of stamps has been commissioned in commemoration of Independence Day.
He only needs two more cards to complete the set.
Cross the bridge and turn right at the first set of traffic lights.
They got an entire set of silver cutlery as a wedding present.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Groups and collections of things

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Exercising & training

Numerical relationships

Groups of people

set noun (FILM/PLAY)

B2 [ C ]

the place where a film or play is performed or recorded, and the pictures, furniture, etc. that are used:

a movie set

a stage set

a set designer

They first met on the set of "Star Wars".

More examplesFewer examples

He designs the sets for the local drama group.
She was famous for throwing tantrums on set.
They met on the set of 'Titanic'.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Theatres, cinemas & their parts

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set noun (PART)

B2 [ C ]

a part of a game of tennis or volleyball:

They won in straight sets (= they won every set).

C2 [ C ]

a musical performance that forms part of a concert, especially one of pop music or jazz:

The band's opening set lasted 45 minutes.

More examplesFewer examples

I played a couple of sets with Alfie.
He won the match by five sets to three.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Tennis & racket sports

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Musical performances

set noun (POSITION)

the set of something

the position in which you hold a part of your body:

I could tell from the set of his jaw that he was angry.

[ C ]

the act of having your hair set:

a shampoo and set

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Places and locations

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Hair care

set noun (TELEVISION)

[ C ] old-fashioned

a television:

We need a new television set.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Broadcasting: television

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set

adjective

/set/ us

/set/

set adjective (READY)

C1 [ after verb ]

ready and prepared:

Shall we go now - is everyone set?

Is everything all set for the party?

At the start of the race, the starter said "On your marks, get set, go".

We were just getting set to leave when Ben said he had something important to tell us.

[ after verb ]

likely or in a suitable condition:

He looks set to become world champion again this year.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Ready and willing

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set adjective (SAME)

always the same, never changing:

My parents say I have to be home by a set time.

UK The restaurant does a set lunch (= a meal which is offered at a fixed price, but with little or no choice about what you have to eat) on Sundays.

The receptionist had a bright set smile on his face, but I could tell that he was bored.

My father has very set opinions/views on the matter.

set expression/phrase

a phrase in which the words are always used in the same order

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Standard and routine

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Linguistics: sentences & expressions

set adjective (STUDY)

[ before noun ] UK

used to describe a book or writer that must be studied for a particular course:

The students are reading "Lord of the Flies" as one of their set books this year.

Eventually, he became a set author in Australian schools.

See also

set text

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Classes & courses

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Idioms

be (dead) set against something
be set fair
be set in your ways
be set on/upon something

(Definition of set from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

set | American Dictionary

set

verb

/set/

set verb (PUT)

Add to word list Add to word list

[ T always + adv/prep ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

to put something in a particular place or position:

Set the box on its end.

Our house is set back from the road.

[ T always + adv/prep ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

If you set something down, you put it on a surface:

[ M ] She set down her teacup and leaned forward.

[ T always + adv/prep ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

If you set a story in a particular place or time, the events happen then or there:

Banks’s novel is set in the years before the Civil War.

set verb (CAUSE A CONDITION)

present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

to cause someone or something to be in a particular condition, or to begin doing something:

[ T ] He carelessly dropped a match and set the grass on fire.

[ T ] His remarks set me thinking.

[ L ] The wildness in her paintings is what sets them apart.

[ + to infinitive ] With the deadline only a few weeks away, I set to work right away.

set verb (ARRANGE)

[ T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

to arrange or adjust something so it is ready to work or be used:

I’ve set the clock to daylight savings time.

To get rid of mice, set a trap – or get a cat.

My job is to set the table before dinner (= arrange the plates, utensils, etc.).

set verb (ESTABLISH)

[ T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

to establish a pattern or example to follow:

Parents should try to set a good example.

The governor wants to set spending limits.

She set a new world record at the Wannamaker Games.

set verb (BECOME FIXED)

[ I/T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

to cause something to become fixed or firm:

[ T ] Have they set a date for the wedding yet?

[ I ] Glue that sets quickly makes it easier to repair things.

[ T ] The old man’s face was set in a continual scowl.

[ I/T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

If you have your hair set, you have it arranged while it is wet so that it will stay in a particular style when it is dry.

[ I/T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

If a stone is set, it is fixed in a piece of jewelry:

[ T ] The blue stone was set in a gold ring.

[ I/T ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

When a broken bone is set, it is kept in a fixed position so that it can heal.

set verb (MOVE DOWN)

[ I ] present participle setting | past tense and past participle set

(esp. of the sun or moon) to sink in the sky until it cannot be seen:

The sun sets with a great show of color.

Idioms

set foot in (some place)
set something in motion
set your mind to something
set sail
set your sights on something
set someone straight
set your teeth on edge
set the stage (for something)
set the tone (for something)
set something to music

More idioms

set up shop

Phrasal verbs

set about something
set something against something
set someone against someone/something
set someone/something apart
set aside something
set aside something
set someone back (something)
set back someone/something
set down something
set forth something

More phrasal verbs

set in
set someone/something on someone
set off
set off something
set out
set out something
set out something
set up something/someone
set up something
set up someone

set

noun

/set/

set noun (PLAY BACKGROUND)

[ C ]

something built or put together to represent a place where the action happens in a play or movie:

The set looks just like a real subway car.

set noun (GROUP)

[ C ]

a group of things that belong together or are used together:

a chess set

a number set

She has a strange set of symptoms.

[ C ]

A set is also a group of people who have similar interests and spend time together:

the golf-playing set

[ C ]

In tennis, a set is a group of games between the same competitors:

The match was over quickly, four sets to two.

set noun (TELEVISION)

[ C ]

a television:

I walked in the room and turned off the set.

set noun (POSITION)

[ C/U ]

a position or an arrangement, esp. of the hair or body:

[ U ] I could tell from the set of his jaw that he was angry.

[ C ] Could you give my hair a set like the one in the picture in this magazine?

set

adjective [ not gradable ]

/set/

set adjective [not gradable] (READY)

with everything arranged; ready:

[ + to infinitive ] Katy is set to go to college in September.

Is everything all set for the party?

set adjective [not gradable] (FIXED)

fixed or firm:

There wasn’t a set time for us to get there.

If you are set on something, you have firmly decided about it:

HMOs are good if you aren’t set on one specific doctor.

Idioms

set in stone

set in your ways

(Definition of set from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

set | Business English

set

verb

/set/ us

setting | set | set

Add to word list Add to word list

[ T ]

to arrange or decide on something:

set a date/time Have you set a time for the next meeting?

set a price/rate Individual franchises set their own prices.

set sth at sth The initial annual bonus rate has been set at 6.75%.

Have they set a deadline for applications?

set a limit (on sth) The government has set new limits on spending.

The state should look for a better way to set annual salaries.

We must continue to set clear priorities.

[ T ]

to state a goal or standard that people should try to achieve:

set a goal/target/standard

When it comes to safety, we will set high standards and enforce them.

[ T ]

to give someone a task or piece of work to do, or tell them what they must achieve:

set sb sth She was set the task of looking for ways to cut costs.

set sb a goal/target/challenge Analysts said the bank had set itself a tough target of increasing its revenues by 6% per annum.

set up shop

COMMERCE informal

to start a new business:

They left for Switzerland and set up shop in Geneva.

Phrasal verbs

set about sth
set sth (off) against sth
set sth aside
set sb back (sth)
set sth/sb back
set sth down
set sth forth
set sth off
set out
set sth out

More phrasal verbs

set up
set sb up
set sth up

set

noun

/set/ us

a group of similar things that belong together in some way:

a set of sth We have laid out a set of principles to help leaders translate their values into actions.

Examples of set

set

Then the optimizer generates a nondominated optimal set.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

When m bi and f bi are not significantly different, we set m bi=f bi=bi so that (9) reduces to (1).

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The fifth (unactuated) equation in the set (23) is a second-order nonholonomic constraint.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Traditions, he concludes, are "not merely sets of ideas" (507).

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Computing preferred answer sets by meta-interpretation in answer set programming.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The predicate consistent1/2 creates a set of more involved constraints.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The data were reanalyzed with the discount rate set at 5%.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

But this is also to be kept secret, lest he should perhaps want to set himself against this as well.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This tool uses a set of known plans to learn the preconditions and effects of the action within the plans.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

A set of players, a constant fraction of which are dishonest, are trying to elect a common leader.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Bayesian analysis provides a rational basis for the qualitative form of set-theoretic models of similarity.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

A second common feature of qualitative research is the emphasis upon the description of the setting being investigated.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The common challenge physiologists, philosophical psychologists, and also physicists set themselves in that period was that of making invisible forces visible.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

First we set out the benefits of such a system and evaluate its compatibility with psychological constraints.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Complete sets, lacking five early issues, are available from the publishers.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all examples of set

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with set

set

These are words often used in combination with set.

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

acoustic set

That, and it seemed like a cavalier performance, a throwaway performance compared with the intensity of the acoustic set earlier on.

From

Wikipedia

This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.

broad set

Together, we discovered a broad set of conditions on the environment under which beliefs converge.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

closed set

This proves that the almost closed set decomposition consists of two atomic sets.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

See all collocations with set

What is the pronunciation of set?

Translations of set

in Chinese (Traditional)

位置, 放，置, 使處於（指定的地方、位置）…

in Chinese (Simplified)

位置, 放，置, 使处于（指定的地方、位置）…

in Spanish

ambientar, ajustar, solidificarse…

in Portuguese

ambientar, ajustar, regular…

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in Italian

विशिष्ट ठिकाणी वा विशिष्ट जागी ठेवणे या अर्थी, विशिष्ट कालखंडात जर कथा, चित्रपट घडत असेल तर त्यातील गोष्टी त्या काळात वा ठिकाणी घडतात.…

（日程を）決める, （日が）沈む, （話の時代や場所を）設定する…

kurmak, ayarlamak, zamanı belirlemek…

mettre, poser, régler…

fixar, establir, pondre’s…

zetten, dekken, vaststellen…

ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட இடத்தில் அல்லது நிலையில் எதையாவது வைக்க, ஒரு கதை, படம் போன்றவை என்றால். ஒரு குறிப்பிட்ட நேரத்தில் அல்லது இடத்தில் அமைக்கப்படுகிறது…

(किसी वस्तु को किसी विशेष स्थान पर) स्थित करना, रखना, लगाना…

કોઈ ચોક્કસ જગ્યાએ કંઈક મૂકવું, કોઈ ચોક્કસ સમય કે સ્થળ પર વાર્તા, ફિલ્મ વગેરે ગોઠવવી…

sætte, dække, fastsætte…

ställa, sätta, lägga…

meletakkan, sediakan meja makan, menetapkan…

stellen, legen, setzen…

sette, stille inn, fastsette…

قائم ہونا, قائم کرنا, قائم رکھنا…

ставити, класти, накривати стола…

назначать, устанавливать, ставить…

ఏదైనా ఒక నిర్దిష్ట ప్రదేశంలో లేదా స్థానంలో ఉంచు, ఒక కథ, సినిమా మొదలైనవాటిని ఒక నిర్దిష్ట సమయంలో లేదా ప్రదేశంలో (తీయాలని) నిర్ణయించబడితే…

يُحَدِّد, تَغْرُب (الشَّمْس), تَدور أحْداثَه في ……

কোনো জায়গায় কিছু রাখা, কোনো গল্প বা চলচ্চিত্রের সেট, উল্লিখিত অবস্থায় বা পরিস্থিতিতে কোনো ব্যক্তি বা বস্তুর থাকা…

položit, prostřít, stanovit…

meletakkan, menata meja makan, menetapkan…

วาง, จัดโต๊ะอาหาร, ตั้ง…

đặt, để, sắp…

wyznaczać, ustalać, nastawiać…

날짜를 정하다, (해가) 지다, (책…

fissare, stabilire, tramontare…

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session key BETA

session musician

sessional BETA

sestina

set

set a lot of, great, little, etc. store by something idiom

set about something phrasal verb

set an example idiom

set designer BETA

Meaning of set in English

set verb (POSITION)

set verb (CONDITION)

set verb (ESTABLISH)

set verb (GET READY)

set verb (FIX)

set verb (GIVE WORK)

set verb (MUSIC)

set verb (SUN)

Idioms

Phrasal verbs

set noun (GROUP)

set noun (FILM/PLAY)

set noun (PART)

set noun (POSITION)

set noun (TELEVISION)

set adjective (READY)

set adjective (SAME)

set adjective (STUDY)

Idioms

set | American Dictionary

set verb (PUT)

set verb (CAUSE A CONDITION)

set verb (ARRANGE)

set verb (ESTABLISH)

set verb (BECOME FIXED)

set verb (MOVE DOWN)

Idioms

Phrasal verbs

set noun (PLAY BACKGROUND)

set noun (GROUP)

set noun (TELEVISION)

set noun (POSITION)

set adjective [not gradable] (READY)

set adjective [not gradable] (FIXED)

Idioms

set | Business English

See also

Phrasal verbs

See also

Examples of set

Collocations with set

set

Translations of set

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