Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - set

 I. verb  (~; ~ting)  Etymology: Middle English ~ten, from Old English ~tan; akin to Old High German sezzen to ~, Old English sittan to sit  Date: before 12th century  transitive verb  1. to cause to sit ; place in or on a seat  2.  a. to put (a fowl) on eggs to hatch them  b. to put (eggs) for hatching under a fowl or into an incubator  3. to place (oneself) in position to start running in a race  4.  a. to place with care or deliberate purpose and with relative stability ~ a ladder against the wall ~ a stone on the grave  b. transplant 1 ~ seedlings  c.  (1) to make (as a trap) ready to catch prey  (2) to fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish  d. to put aside (as dough containing yeast) for fermenting  5. to direct with fixed attention ~ your mind to it  6.  a. to cause to assume a specified condition, relation, or occupation slaves were ~ free ~ the house on fire  b. to cause the start of ~ a fire  7.  a. to appoint or assign to an office or duty  b. post, station  8. to cause to assume a specified posture or position ~ the door ajar  9.  a. to fix as a distinguishing imprint, sign, or appearance the years have ~ their mark on him  b. affix  c. apply ~ a match to kindling  10. to fix or decide on as a time, limit, or regulation ; prescribe ~ a wedding day ~ the rules for the game  11.  a. to establish as the highest level or best performance ~ a record for the half mile  b. to furnish as a pattern or model ~ an example of generosity  c. to allot as a task ~ting lessons for the children to work upon at home — Manchester Examiner  12.  a. to adjust (a device and especially a measuring device) to a desired position ~ the alarm for 7:00 ~ a thermostat at 68; also to adjust (as a clock) in conformity with a standard  b. to restore to normal position or connection when dislocated or fractured ~ a broken bone  c. to spread to the wind ~ the sails  13.  a. to put in order for use ~ a place for a guest  b. to make scenically ready for a performance ~ the stage  c.  (1) to arrange (type) for printing ~ type by hand  (2) to put into type or its equivalent (as on film) ~ the first word in italic  14.  a. to put a fine edge on by grinding or honing ~ a razor  b. to bend slightly the tooth points of (a saw) alternately in opposite directions  c. to sink (the head of a nail) below the surface  15. to fix in a desired position (as by heating or stretching)  16. to arrange (hair) in a desired style by using implements (as curlers, rollers, or clips) and gels or lotions  17.  a. to adorn with something affixed or infixed ; stud, dot clear sky ~ with stars  b. to fix (as a precious stone) in a border of metal ; place in a ~ting  18.  a. to hold something in regard or esteem at the rate of ~s a great deal by daily exercise  b. to place in a relative rank or category ~ duty before pleasure  c. to fix at a certain amount ~ bail at $500  d. value, rate their promises were ~ at naught  e. to place as an estimate of worth ~ a high value on life  19. to place in relation for comparison or balance theory ~ against practice  20.  a. to direct to action  b. to incite to attack or antagonism war ~s brother against brother  21.  a. to place by transporting was ~ ashore on the island  b. to put in motion  c. to put and fix in a direction ~ our faces toward home once more  d. of a dog to point out the position of (game) by holding a fixed attitude  22. to defeat (an opponent or a contract) in bridge  23.  a. to fix firmly ; make immobile ; give rigid form or condition to ~ her jaw in determination  b. to make unyielding or obstinate  24. to cause to become firm or solid ~ milk for cheese  25. to cause (as fruit or seed) to develop  intransitive verb  1. chiefly dialect sit  2. to be becoming ; be suitable ; fit the coat ~s well  3. to cover and WARM EGGS TO HATCH THEM  4.  a. to affect one with or as if with weight the pudding ~s heavily on my stomach  b. to place oneself in position in preparation for an action (as running)  5. of a plant part to undergo development usually as a result of pollination  6.  a. to pass below the horizon ; go down the sun ~s  b. to come to an end this century ~s with little mirth — Thomas Fuller  7. to apply oneself to some activity ~ to work  8. to have a specified direction in motion ; flow, tend the wind was ~ting from Pine Hill to the farm — Esther Forbes  9. of a dog to indicate the position of game by crouching or pointing  10. to dance face to face with another in a square dance ~ to your partner and turn  11.  a. to become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration the cement ~s rapidly  b. of a dye or color to become permanent  c. of a bone to become whole by growing together  II. noun  Date: 14th century  1.  a. the act or action of ~ting  b. the condition of being ~  2. a number of things of the same kind that belong or are used together an electric train ~  3.  a. mental inclination, tendency, or habit ; bent a ~ toward mathematics  b. a state of psychological preparedness to perceive or respond to an anticipated stimulus or situation  4. direction of flow the ~ of the wind  5. form or carriage of the body or of its parts her face took on a cynical ~ — Raymond Kennedy  6. the manner of fitting or of being placed or suspended in order to give the skirt a pretty ~ — Mary J. Howell  7. amount of deflection from a straight line ~ of a saw's teeth  8. permanent change of form (as of metal) due to repeated or excessive stress  9. the act or result of arranging hair by curling or waving  10. (also ~t)  a. a young plant or rooted cutting ready for transplanting  b. a small bulb, corm, or tuber or a piece of tuber used for propagation onion ~s  c. the blossoms of a plant that have ~ fruit as a result of fertilization  11. (or ~t) the burrow of a badger  12. the width of the body of a piece of type  13. an artificial ~ting for a scene of a theatrical or film production  14. (also ~t) a rectangular paving stone of sandstone or granite  15. a division of a tennis match won by the side that wins at least six games beating the opponent by two games or by winning a tiebreaker  16. a collection of books or periodicals forming a unit  17. a clutch of eggs  18. the basic formation in a country-dance or square dance  19. a session of music (as jazz or dance music) usually followed by an intermission; also the music played at one session  20. a group of persons associated by common interests  21. a collection of elements and especially mathematical ones (as numbers or points) — called also class  22. an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to function as a unit a television ~  23. a usually offensive formation in football or basketball  24. a group of a specific number of repetitions of a particular exercise  III. adjective  Etymology: Middle English ~t, from Old English ge~t, past participle of ~tan  Date: 14th century  1. intent, determined ~ upon going  2. intentional, premeditated did it of ~ purpose  3. fixed by authority or appointment ; prescribed, specified ~ hours of study  4. reluctant to change ~ in their ways  5.  a. immovable, rigid ~ frown  b. built-in a ~ tub  6. ~tled, persistent ~ defiance  7. being in readiness ; prepared ~ for an early morning start