set

B1 Topic:Film & Television

US /sɛt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like sate /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/ Sounds like sat /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #431

Meanings

1

verb
To put or place something in a particular position.

She set the cups carefully on the table.
2

verb
To prepare or arrange something for a particular purpose.

They set up an experiment to test the theory.
3

verb
To decide and fix something firmly, such as rules or a time.

The committee set the rules for the competition.
4

verb
To place the action of a story in a particular time or place.

The film is set in Africa during the 1950s.
5

verb
To achieve the best or highest level of something.

She set a new world record in the 100 metres.

Verb forms

set, set, set irregular verb

Multiword verbs with set

set apart Phrasal verb B1

to keep someone or something separate for a particular purpose
set aside Phrasal verb B1

to reserve something for a particular purpose or later use
set forth Phrasal verb B1

to state or explain information in an orderly way
set off Phrasal verb B1

to begin a journey

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to put or place something... place

2 verb · to prepare or arrange... set up lay out

3 verb · to decide and fix something... determine

5 verb · to achieve the best or... mark

Word family

Derived forms aforesetbacksetbesetclose-setcoldsetdeep-setforesetforsetforthsetgainsethard-setheatset

Appears in

Phrases (11)

See all

set a date
to decide on a specific day for an event

Verb + noun
set one's watch
to adjust a watch to show the correct time

Verb + noun
set the table
arrange plates, cutlery, and glasses on the table before a meal

Verb + noun
set up a system
to establish a system so it is ready to use

Verb + noun
set a record
to establish a new best performance or highest figure for the first time

Verb + noun
set adrift
to release something so it floats without being secured or guided

Verb + adverb

Idioms (4)

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Proverbs (3)

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Simplified etymology

Set comes from Old English settan, a Germanic verb related to Dutch zetten, German setzen, and English sit. Its many senses developed from ideas such as causing something to sit, placing or fixing it, establishing it, arranging it, or bringing it into a settled condition. The noun meaning “group or collection” arose partly from this verb and partly from Latin secta, the source of sect.

Etymology

From Middle English set, sete, sette (“that which is set, the act of setting, seat”), from Old English set (“setting, seat, a place where people remain, habitation, camp, entrenchment, a place where animals are kept, stall, fold”) and Old English seten (“a set, shoot, slip, branch; a nursery, plantation; that which is planted or set; a cultivated place; planting, cultivation; a setting, putting; a stopping; occupied land”), related to Old English settan (“to set”). Compare Middle Low German gesette (“a set, suite”), Old English gesetl (“assembly”). According to Skeat, in senses denoting a grou…

set Old English seten Old English sette Old French secta Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Film & Television Theater & Performance Actions & Processes

External links

# set

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /sɛt/
**Frequency rank:** 431

## Meanings
1. To put or place something in a particular position.
2. To prepare or arrange something for a particular purpose.
3. To decide and fix something firmly, such as rules or a time.
4. To place the action of a story in a particular time or place.
5. To achieve the best or highest level of something.

## Examples
- She set the cups carefully on the table.
- They set up an experiment to test the theory.
- The committee set the rules for the competition.
- The film is set in Africa during the 1950s.
- She set a new world record in the 100 metres.

## Derived Forms
- aforeset
- backset
- beset
- close-set
- coldset
- deep-set
- foreset
- forset
- forthset
- gainset
- hard-set
- heatset

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: set
- Root: seten
- Root: sette
- Root: secta

## Etymology
From Middle English set, sete, sette (“that which is set, the act of setting, seat”), from Old English set (“setting, seat, a place where people remain, habitation, camp, entrenchment, a place where animals are kept, stall, fold”) and Old English seten (“a set, shoot, slip, branch; a nursery, plantation; that which is planted or set; a cultivated place; planting, cultivation; a setting, putting; a stopping; occupied land”), related to Old English settan (“to set”). Compare Middle Low German gesette (“a set, suite”), Old English gesetl (“assembly”). According to Skeat, in senses denoting a grou…

## AI Etymology
Set is from Middle English set, sete, sette (“that which is set, the act of setting, seat”), from Old English set (“setting, seat, a place where people remain, habitation, camp, entrenchment, a place where animals are kept, stall, fold”) and Old English seten (“a set, shoot, slip, branch; a nursery, plantation; that which is planted or set; a cultivated place; planting, cultivation; a setting, putting; a stopping; occupied land”), related to Old English settan (“to set”). Compare Middle Low German gesette (“a set, suite”), Old English gesetl (“assembly”). Important forms in the word's history include Middle English set, Old English set, Old English seten, Old French sette, la-med secta, Latin secta. In current use it includes senses such as To put or place something in a particular position and To prepare or arrange something for a particular purpose.

## Topics
- Film & Television
- Theater & Performance
- Actions & Processes

markdown

set

Meanings

Verb forms

Multiword verbs with set

Thesaurus

Appears in

Phrases (11)

Idioms (4)

Proverbs (3)

Simplified etymology

Etymology

Topics

External links

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