Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

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

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The temporary station of a portable sawmill, yarding-engine, or other machine used in logging.
  • noun 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.
  • noun The act of one who or that which sets, in any sense.
  • noun Specifically
  • noun 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.
  • noun 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.
  • noun Theat., the mounting of a play or an opera for the stage; the equipment and arrangement of scenery, costumes, and properties; the miseen scène.
  • noun The adjusting of the teeth of a saw for cutting.
  • noun The hardening of plaster or cement; also, same as setting-coat.
  • noun The hardening process of eggs: a term used by fish-culturists.
  • noun The sinking of the sun or moon or of a star below the horizon.
  • noun The sport of hunting with a setter-dog. See the quotation under set, intransitive verb, 7.
  • noun Something set in or inserted.
  • noun 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.
  • noun In printing, same as offset, 9.
  • noun Same as location, 3.
  • Of the sunset; western; occidental.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of one who, or that which, sets
  • noun The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does; also, hunting with a setter.
  • noun Something set in, or inserted.
  • noun That in which something, as a gem, is set.
  • noun the time, place, and circumstances in which an event (real or fictional) occurs.
  • noun (Arch.) the finishing or last coat of plastering on walls or ceilings.
  • noun a setter. See Setter, n., 2.
  • noun a pole, often iron-pointed, used for pushing boats along in shallow water.
  • noun (Print.) A composing rule.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of set.
  • noun The time, place and circumstance in which something (such as a story or picture) is set; context; scenario.
  • noun The act of setting.
  • noun A piece of metal in which a precious stone or gem is fixed to form a piece of jewelry.
  • noun A level or placement that a knob or control is set to.
  • noun The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does.
  • noun Hunting with a setter.
  • noun Something set in, or inserted.
  • adjective that disappears below the horizon

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

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

Etymologies

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