set-to

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set-to

(sĕt′to͞o′)

n. pl. set-tos

A brief, usually heated conflict or argument.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

set′-to`

n., pl. -tos.

a usu. brief, sharp fight or argument.

[1735–45]

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Noun

set-to - a brief but vigorous fight

fighting, combat, fight, scrap - the act of fighting; any contest or struggle; "a fight broke out at the hockey game"; "there was fighting in the streets"; "the unhappy couple got into a terrible scrap"

set-to

noun (Informal) fight, row, argument, brush, scrap (informal), disagreement, quarrel, barney (informal), spat, squabble, wrangle, fracas, slanging match (Brit.), dust-up (informal), argy-bargy (Brit. informal) a bit of a set-to between Smith and his record company

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

set-to

[ˈsetˈtuː] N (= fight) → pelea f; (= quarrel) → agarrada f, bronca f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

set-to

n (Brit inf) → Krach m, → Streiterei f (inf); to have a set-to with somebody → sich mit jdm in die Wolle kriegen (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

set-to

[ˈsɛtˈtuː] n (fam) (fight) → zuffa; (quarrel) → baruffa

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

set

(set) – present participle ˈsetting: past tense, past participle set – verb

1. to put or place. She set the tray down on the table.

2. to put plates, knives, forks etc on (a table) for a meal. Please would you set the table for me?

3. to settle or arrange (a date, limit, price etc). It's difficult to set a price on a book when you don't know its value.

4. to give a person (a task etc) to do. The witch set the prince three tasks; The teacher set a test for her pupils; He should set the others a good example.

5. to cause to start doing something. His behaviour set people talking.

6. (of the sun etc) to disappear below the horizon. It gets cooler when the sun sets.

7. to become firm or solid. Has the concrete set?

8. to adjust (eg a clock or its alarm) so that it is ready to perform its function. He set the alarm for 7.00 a.m.

9. to arrange (hair) in waves or curls.

10. to fix in the surface of something, eg jewels in a ring.

11. to put (broken bones) into the correct position for healing. They set his broken arm.

adjective

1. fixed or arranged previously. There is a set procedure for doing this.

2. (often with on) ready, intending or determined (to do something). He is set on going.

3. deliberate. He had the set intention of hurting her.

4. stiff; fixed. He had a set smile on his face.

5. not changing or developing. set ideas.

6. (with with) having something set in it. a gold ring set with diamonds.

noun

1. a group of things used or belonging together. a set of carving tools; a complete set of (the novels of) Jane Austen.

2. an apparatus for receiving radio or television signals. a television/radio set.

3. a group of people. the musical set.

4. the process of setting hair. a shampoo and set.

5. scenery for a play or film. There was a very impressive set in the final act.

6. a group of six or more games in tennis. She won the first set and lost the next two.

ˈsetting noun

1. a background. This castle is the perfect setting for a murder.

2. an arrangement of jewels in eg a ring.

3. music composed for a poem etc. settings of folk songs.

ˈsetback noun

a delay in progress.

set phrase

a phrase which always occurs in one form, and which cannot be changed. `Of no fixed abode' is a set phrase.

ˈset-square noun

a triangular instrument with one right angle, used in geometrical drawing etc.

ˈsetting-lotion noun

a lotion that is used in setting the hair.

ˌset-ˈto

an argument or fight.

ˈset-up noun

an arrangement. There are several families living together in that house – it's a funny set-up.

all set (often with to)

ready or prepared (to do something); just on the point of (doing something). We were all set to leave when the phone rang.

set about

to begin. She set about planning her holiday; How will you set about this task?

set (someone) against (someone)

to cause (a person) to dislike (another person). She set the children against their father.

set aside

to keep for a special use or purpose. He set aside some cash for use at the weekend.

set back

to delay the progress of. His illness set him back a bit at school.

set down

(of a bus etc) to stop and let (passengers) out. The bus set us down outside the post-office.

set in

to begin or become established. Boredom soon set in among the children.

set off

1. (sometimes with on) to start a journey. We set off to go to the beach.

2. to cause to start doing something. She had almost stopped crying, but his harsh words set her off again.

3. to explode or ignite. You should let your father set off all the fireworks.

set (something or someone) on (someone)

to cause (eg dogs) to attack (a person). He set his dogs on me.

set out

1. to start a journey. He set out to explore the countryside.

2. to intend. I didn't set out to prove him wrong.

set to

to start to do something (vigorously). They set to, and finished the work the same day.

set up

1. to establish. When was the organization set up?

2. to arrange or construct. He set up the apparatus for the experiment.

set up camp

to erect tents etc. They set up camp in a field.

set up house

to establish one's own home. He'll soon be earning enough to set up house on his own.

set up shop

to start a shop.

set upon (also set on)

to attack. He set upon me in the dark.

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