setting

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The position, direction, or way in which something, such as an automatic control, is set.
2. n. The context and environment in which a situation is set; the background.
3. n. The time, place, and circumstances in which a narrative, drama, or film takes place.
4. n. Music A composition written or arranged to fit a text, such as a poetical work.
5. n. A mounting, as for a jewel.
6. n. A place setting.
7. n. A set of eggs in a hen's nest.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of one who or that which sets, in any sense.
2. n. Specifically.
3. n. The adjusting of a telescope to look at an object by means of a setting-circle or otherwise; also, the placing of a micrometer-wire so as to bisect an object.
4. n. In music, the act, process, or result of fitting or adapting to music, or providing a musical form for: as, a setting of the Psalms.
5. n. Theat., the mounting of a play or an opera for the stage; the equipment and arrangement of scenery, costumes, and properties; the miseen scène.
6. n. The adjusting of the teeth of a saw for cutting.
7. n. The hardening of plaster or cement; also, same as setting-coat.
8. n. The hardening process of eggs: a term used by fish-culturists.
9. n. The sinking of the sun or moon or of a star below the horizon.
10. n. The sport of hunting with a setter-dog. See the quotation under set, intransitive verb, 7.
11. n. Something set in or inserted.
12. n. That in which something, as a jewel, is set: as, a diamond in a gold setting; by extension, the ornamental surrounding of a jewel, seal, or the like: as, an antique setting; hence, figuratively, that which surrounds anything; environment.
13. n. In printing, same as offset, 9.
14. n. Same as location, 3.
15. Of the sunset; western; occidental.
16. n. The temporary station of a portable sawmill, yarding-engine, or other machine used in logging.
17. n. A wash of gum or other suitable material applied to the surface of a pencil or crayon drawing on paper in order to prevent the work of the artist from being rubbed off; a fixative.

Wiktionary

1. v. present participle of set.
2. n. The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario.
3. n. The act of setting.
4. n. A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry.
5. n. A level or placement that a knob or control is set to.
6. n. The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does.
7. n. Hunting with a setter.
8. n. Something set in, or inserted.
9. adj. that disappears below the horizon

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of one who, or that which, sets
2. n. The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also, hunting with a setter.
3. n. Something set in, or inserted.
4. n. That in which something, as a gem, is set.
5. n. the time, place, and circumstances in which an event (real or fictional) occurs.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a mounting consisting of a piece of metal (as in a ring or other jewelry) that holds a gem in place
2. n. the physical position of something
3. n. a table service for one person
4. n. arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place where a play or movie is enacted
5. n. the state of the environment in which a situation exists
6. n. the context and environment in which something is set
7. n. the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event