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Set Very Common

Set has 53 different meanings across 4 categories:

Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used

"a set of books"

"a set of golf clubs"

"a set of teeth"

set
2

(mathematics) an abstract collection of numbers or symbols

"the set of prime numbers is infinite"

set
3

several exercises intended to be done in series

"he did four sets of the incline bench press"

4

representation consisting of the scenery and other properties used to identify the location of a dramatic production

"the sets were meticulously authentic"

5

an unofficial association of people or groups

"the smart set goes there"

"they were an angry lot"

6

a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way

"the set of his mind was obvious"

7

the act of putting something in position

"he gave a final set to his hat"

set
8

a unit of play in tennis or squash

"they played two sets of tennis after dinner"

set
9

the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization

"the hardening of concrete"

"he tested the set of the glue"

10

evil Egyptian god with the head of a beast that has high square ears and a long snout; brother and murderer of Osiris

"The ancient hieroglyphs depicted Set as a fierce canine deity with a squared muzzle, forever marked by his role in murdering his own brother."

11

the descent of a heavenly body below the horizon

"before the set of sun"

set
12

(psychology) being temporarily ready to respond in a particular way

"the subjects' set led them to solve problems the familiar way and to overlook the simpler solution"

"his instructions deliberately gave them the wrong set"

13

any electronic equipment that receives or transmits radio or tv signals

"the early sets ran on storage batteries"

set
14

A punch for setting nails in wood.

"The researcher analyzed how a mutation in the SET gene disrupted normal cell death during embryonic development."

15

A young plant fit for setting out; a slip; shoot.

16

Gene for a human protein involved in apoptosis, transcription and nucleosome assembly.

In plain English: A set is a group of things that belong together and are treated as a single unit.

"He checked to make sure all the dishes were in their proper set before clearing the table."

Verb
1

put into a certain place or abstract location

"Put your things here"

"Set the tray down"

"Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"

"Place emphasis on a certain point"

2

fix conclusively or authoritatively

"set the rules"

3

decide upon or fix definitely

"fix the variables"

"specify the parameters"

4

establish as the highest level or best performance

"set a record"

5

put into a certain state; cause to be in a certain state

"set the house afire"

set
6

fix in a border

"The goldsmith set the diamond"

set
7

make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

"Get the children ready for school!"

"prepare for war"

"I was fixing to leave town after I paid the hotel bill"

8

set to a certain position or cause to operate correctly

"set clocks or instruments"

set
9

locate

"The film is set in Africa"

10

disappear beyond the horizon

"the sun sets early these days"

11

adapt for performance in a different way

"set this poem to music"

12

put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground

"Let's plant flowers in the garden"

13

apply or start

"set fire to a building"

set
14

become gelatinous

"the liquid jelled after we added the enzyme"

15

set in type

"My book will be typeset nicely"

"set these words in italics"

16

put into a position that will restore a normal state

"set a broken bone"

set
17

insert (a nail or screw below the surface, as into a countersink)

"The carpenter carefully set the screws flush with the wood before painting the deck."

18

give a fine, sharp edge to a knife or razor

"Before shaving his face for the wedding, he carefully set the blade of his straight razor to ensure it would cut smoothly without nicks."

set
19

urge to attack someone

"The owner sicked his dogs on the intruders"

"the shaman sics sorcerers on the evil spirits"

20

estimate

"We put the time of arrival at 8 P.M."

21

equip with sails or masts

"rig a ship"

22

get ready for a particular purpose or event

"set up an experiment"

"set the table"

"lay out the tools for the surgery"

23

alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard

"Adjust the clock, please"

"correct the alignment of the front wheels"

24

bear fruit

"the apple trees fructify"

25

arrange attractively

"dress my hair for the wedding"

26

To put (something) down, to rest.

"The teacher decided to set the advanced students apart from the rest of the class so they could work on more challenging problems."

27

To divide a class group in a subject according to ability

In plain English: To set something is to put it in a specific place or position.

"Please set the table for dinner."

Usage: Use this verb when placing an object in its intended position or allowing it to come to rest naturally. It is often confused with lay, which requires a direct object and implies putting something down by hand rather than letting it settle on its own.

Adjective
1

(usually followed by `to' or `for') on the point of or strongly disposed

"in no fit state to continue"

"fit to drop"

"laughing fit to burst"

"she was fit to scream"

"primed for a fight"

"we are set to go at any time"

2

fixed and unmoving

"with eyes set in a fixed glassy stare"

"his bearded face already has a set hollow look"

"a face rigid with pain"

3

situated in a particular spot or position

"valuable centrally located urban land"

"strategically placed artillery"

"a house set on a hilltop"

"nicely situated on a quiet riverbank"

4

set down according to a plan

"a carefully laid table with places set for four people"

"stones laid in a pattern"

5

being below the horizon

"the moon is set"

set
6

determined or decided upon as by an authority

"date and place are already determined"

"the dictated terms of surrender"

"the time set for the launching"

7

converted to solid form (as concrete)

"The worker waited for an hour before stepping away from the freshly poured driveway so it could properly set."

8

Fixed in position.

"The heavy stone was set firmly into the concrete foundation so it would not move during the storm."

In plain English: Set means fixed or decided and not likely to change.

"The table was set with fresh flowers."

Proper Noun
1

An ancient Egyptian god, variously described as the god of chaos, the god of thunder and storms, or the god of destruction.

"The SET plan aims to revolutionize Europe's energy sector by investing heavily in renewable technologies and nuclear power research."

2

Initialism of Strategic Energy Technologies. Plan of the European Union.

Example Sentences
"The table was set with fresh flowers." adj
"He checked to make sure all the dishes were in their proper set before clearing the table." noun
"Please set the table for dinner." verb
See Also
ready place sethian monogenic determine tend trips uncountable set
Related Terms
ready place sethian monogenic determine tend trips uncountable set attractor rigid equivalent film singleton risc arithmetical hierarchy vector space sample space multiprobe alphabet sit
Antonyms
come up
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
collection abstraction exercise representation social group inclination placement playing period natural process descent cognitive state electronic equipment move choose lay down change arrange adjust stage descend compose put originate solidify print bury hone assail estimate equip fix reproduce groom
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
dentition singleton pair trio quartet quintet sextet septet octet chess set manicure set union intersection field bracket conjugation suite choir core portfolio score threescore synset interval group domain image universal set locus subset null set Mandelbrot set mathematical space solution diagonal scenery car pool clique cohort conspiracy Four Hundred horsy set jet set party congealment receiver transmitter insert docket cock postpose prepose step replace stratify plant intersperse nestle pile arrange superimpose superpose park ensconce dispose emplace ship underlay trench pigeonhole shelve jar repose sign middle parallelize butt recess reposition throw tee rack up coffin bed appose set down sow misplace juxtapose bottle bucket barrel ground pillow upend seat lay stand recline install situate ladle poise lean clap rest perch load cram set siphon position glycerolize space marshal settle imbricate identify date value filiate format charge initialize tax price quantify name reset define pitch keynote socialize provide precondition fix mount set up winterize summerize prime cultivate brace advance prearrange put transpose table root puddle checkrow dibble afforest replant tree proportion modulate temper tune calibrate time trim zero readjust attune regulate focus synchronize pressurize depressurize match plumb align harmonize linearize justify citify bob wave

Origin

The word "set" comes from the Old English verb settān, which originally meant "to cause to sit." It traveled into modern English with this same core meaning of placing something down or causing someone to take a seat.

Rhyming Words
unset biset coset inset enset onset muset osset poset upset reset beset roset asset verset gifset cogset misset closet sunset
Compare
Set vs