Словарь американских идиом (8000 единиц)
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[setback] <n.> A disadvantage; a delay. * /We suffered a major setback when my wife lost her job./
[set back] <v.> 1. To cause to put off or get behind schedule; slow up; check. * /The cold weather set back the planting by two weeks./ 2. <informal> To cause to pay out or to lose (a sum of money); cost. * /His new car set him back over $3000./
[set back on one's heels] or [knock back on one's heels] <v. phr.>, <informal> To give an unpleasant surprise; upset suddenly; stop or turn back (someone's) progress. * /Jack brags too much and it set him back on his heels when the coach told him he wasn't as good a player as he thought he was./ * /Jean was doing very well in school until sickness knocked her back on her heels./ Compare: KNOCK FOR A LOOP, THROW FOR A LOSS.
[set down] <v.> 1. To write; record. * /He set down all his important thoughts in his dairy./ * /At the beginning of his letter Dan set down the date./ Syn.: PUT DOWN. 2. To stop a bus or other vehicle and let (someone) get off. * /The bus driver set her down at the corner./ 3. To put into some group; classify; consider. * /When he heard the man speak, he set him down as a fool./ 4. To explain; think a reason for. * /The teacher set down the boy's poor English to his foreign birth./
[set eyes on] See: LAY EYES ON.
[set fire to] <v. phr.> To cause to burn; start a fire in. * /The sparks set fire to the oily rags./ Compare: CATCH FIRE.
[set foot] <v. phr.> To step; walk; go.
– Used with a negative. * /She would not let him set foot across her threshold./ * /She told the boy not to set foot out of the house until he had finished supper./
[set forth] <v.>, <formal> 1. To explain exactly or clearly. * /The President set forth his plans in a television talk./ 2. To start to go somewhere; begin a trip. * /The troop set forth on their ten-mile hike early./ Compare: SET OUT.
[set free] <v. phr.> To liberate. * /The trapper set all the small animals free before the snowstorm hit./
[set great store by] See: SET STORE BY.
[set in] <v.> To begin; start; develop. * /Before the boat could reach shore, a storm had set in./ * /He did not keep the cut clean and infection set in./ * /The wind set in from the east./
[set in one's ways] <adj. phr.> Stubborn; opinionated; unchangeable. * /My grandfather is so old and set in his ways that he'll eat nothing new./
[set loose] See: LET LOOSE(1a).
[set off] <v.> 1. To decorate through contrast; balance by difference. * /The bright colors of the birds were set off by the white snow./ * /A small gold pin set off her plain dark dress./ 2. To balance; make somewhat equal. * /Her great wealth, as he thought, set off her plain face./ 3a. To begin to go. * /They set off for the West in a covered wagon./ Compare: SET OUT. 3b. To cause to begin. * /A letter from home set off an attack of homesickness./ * /An atomic explosion is created by setting off a chain reaction in the atom./ Compare: TOUCH OFF. 3c. To cause to explode. * /On July 4 we set off firecrackers in many places./
[set of new threads] <n. phr.> New men's suit. * /"Nice set of new threads'" Ed said, when he saw Dave in his new tailor-made outfit./
[set on] also [set upon] <v.> 1. To begin suddenly to fight against; attack fiercely. * /Tom was walking through the park when a gang of boys set on him./ 2. To cause to attack. * /Some boys went to steal melons but the farmer set his dog on them./
[set one's cap for] <v. phr.>, <informal> To attempt to win the love of or to marry. * /Usually used of a girl or woman./ * /The young girl set her cap for the new town doctor, who was a bachelor./
[set one's face against] <v. phr.>, <literary> To be very much against; strongly disapprove. * /The banker's daughter wanted to marry a poor boy, but her father set his face against it./
[set one's hand to] See: PUT ONE'S HAND TO.
[set one's hand to the plow] See: PUT ONE'S HAND TO THE PLOW.
[set one's heart on] <v. phr.> To want very much. * /He set his heart on that bike./ also: To be very desirous of; hope very much to succeed in.
– Used with a verbal noun. * /He set his heart on winning the race./
[set one's house in order] See: PUT ONE'S HOUSE IN ORDER.
[set one's mind at rest] <v. phr.> To relieve someone's anxieties; reassure someone. * /"Lef me set your mind at rest about the operation," Dr. Vanek said. "You'll be back on your feet in a week."/
[set one's mind on] <v. phr.> To be determined to; decide to. * /He has set his mind on buying an old chateau in France./
[set one's sights] <v. phr.> 1. To want to reach; aim for. * /John has set his sights higher than the job he has now./ 2. To wish to get or win. * /Owen set his sights on the championship./
[set one's teeth on edge] <v. phr.> 1. To have a sharp sour taste that makes you rub your teeth together. * /The lemon juice set my teeth on edge./ 2. To make one feel nervous or annoyed. * /She looks so mean that her face sets my teeth on edge./
[set on foot] See: ON FOOT.
[set out] <v.> 1. To leave on a journey or voyage. * /The Pilgrims set out for the New World./ Compare: SET FORTH(2), SET OFF(4), START OUT. 2. To decide and begin to try; attempt. * /George set out to improve his pitching./ 3. To plant in the ground. * /The gardener set out some tomato seedlings./
[set right] <v. phr.> To discipline; correct; indicate the correct procedure. * /"Your bookkeeping is all messed up," the accountant said. "Let me set it right for you, once and for all."/
[set sail] <v. phr.> To begin a sea voyage; start sailing. * /The ship set sail for Europe./
[set store by] <v. phr.>, <informal> To like or value; want to keep. Used with a qualifying word between "set" and "store". * /George sets great store by that old tennis racket./ * /Pat doesn't set much store by Mike's advice./