set
Other forms: setting; sets
A set is a group of things that belong together, like the set of even numbers (2,4,6…) or the bed, nightstands, and dresser that make up your bedroom set.
Set has many different meanings. As a verb, it means to put in place. Remember where you set your keys down! If you pour concrete, it takes a while to set, or become firm. To "set the bar" is to establish a benchmark for excellence. To set in stone is to make permanent. Every evening, the sun sets beyond the horizon.
Definitions of set
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put into a certain place or abstract location
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types:
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enclose, inclose, insert, introduce, put in, stick in
introduce
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docket
place on the docket for legal action
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cock
set the trigger of a firearm back for firing
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postpose
place after another constituent in the sentence
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prepose
place before another constituent in the sentence
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step
place (a ship's mast) in its step
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put back, replace
put something back where it belongs
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stratify
form, arrange, or deposit in layers
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plant
place something or someone in a certain position in order to secretly observe or deceive
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intersperse
place at intervals in or among
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nestle, snuggle
position comfortably
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pile
place or lay as if in a pile
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arrange, set up
put into a proper or systematic order
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lay over, superimpose, superpose
place on top of
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superpose
place (one geometric figure) upon another so that their perimeters coincide
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park
place temporarily
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ensconce, settle
fix firmly
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dispose
place or put in a particular order
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emplace
put into place or position
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emplace
provide a new emplacement for guns
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ship
place on board a ship
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underlay
put (something) under or beneath
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trench
set, plant, or bury in a trench
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pigeonhole
place into a small compartment
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shelve
place on a shelf
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jar
place in a cylindrical vessel
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repose
put something (e.g. trust) in something
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sign
place signs, as along a road
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middle
put in the middle
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parallelize
place parallel to one another
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butt
place end to end without overlapping
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recess
put into a recess
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reposition
place into another position
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throw, thrust
place or put with great energy
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tee, tee up
place on a tee
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rack up
place in a rack
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coffin
place into a coffin
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bed
put to bed
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appose
place side by side or in close proximity
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place down, put down, set down
cause to sit or seat or be in a settled position or place
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seed, sow
place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth
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misplace
place or position wrongly; put in the wrong position
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juxtapose
place side by side
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set down
put or settle into a position
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bottle
put into bottles
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bucket
put into a bucket
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barrel
put in barrels
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ground
place or put on the ground
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pillow, rest
rest on or as if on a pillow
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lose, mislay, misplace
place (something) where one cannot find it again
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upend
set, turn, or stand on end
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seat, sit, sit down
show to a seat; assign a seat for
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seat
place in or on a seat
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lay, put down, repose
put in a horizontal position
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place upright, stand, stand up
put into an upright position
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recline
cause to recline
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plant
put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
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instal, install, put in, set up
set up for use
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deposit, fix, posit, situate
put (something somewhere) firmly
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ladle
put (a liquid) into a container by means of a ladle
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poise
cause to be balanced or suspended
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lean
cause to lean or incline
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clap
put quickly or forcibly
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rest
put something in a resting position, as for support or steadying
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perch
cause to perch or sit
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load
put (something) on a structure or conveyance
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cram
put something somewhere so that the space is completely filled
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siphon
move a liquid from one container into another by means of a siphon or a siphoning action
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seat
place or attach firmly in or on a base
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position
cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation
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glycerolise, glycerolize
place in glycerol
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space
place at intervals
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marshal
place in proper rank
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settle, settle down
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
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throw
to put into a state or activity hastily, suddenly, or carelessly
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imbricate
place so as to overlap
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plug
insert as a plug
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plug
insert a plug into
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inoculate
introduce a microorganism into
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inset
set or place in
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glass
put in a glass container
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catheterise, catheterize
insert a catheter into (a body part)
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cup
put into a cup
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interlard, intersperse
introduce one's writing or speech with certain expressions
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feed, feed in
introduce continuously
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slip
insert inconspicuously or quickly or quietly
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foist
insert surreptitiously or without warrant
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regularise, regularize
make regular or more regular
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order
place in a certain order
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order
bring order to or into
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straighten
make straight or straighter
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rearrange, rejigger
put into a new order or arrangement
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serialise, serialize
arrange serially
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alphabetise, alphabetize
arrange in alphabetical order
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coordinate, organise, organize
bring order and organization to
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interstratify
arrange rocks in alternating strata
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stratify
form layers or strata
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deploy
place troops or weapons in battle formation
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aim, direct, take, take aim, train
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
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bury
place in the earth and cover with soil
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hang up
put a telephone receiver back in its cradle
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draw, string, thread
thread on or as if on a string
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marshal
arrange in logical order
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string
stretch out or arrange like a string
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spread out, string out
set out or stretch in a line, succession, or series
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interleave
intersperse the sectors on the concentric magnetic circular patterns written on a computer disk surface to guide the storing and recording of data
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plume, preen
clean with one's bill
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stack
arrange the order of so as to increase one's winning chances
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chain
connect or arrange into a chain by linking
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geminate, pair
arrange in pairs
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concord
arrange the words of a text so as to create a concordance
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cascade
arrange (open windows) on a computer desktop so that they overlap each other, with the title bars visible
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settle
arrange or fix in the desired order
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pyramid
arrange or build up as if on the base of a pyramid
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corral
arrange wagons so that they form a corral
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catenate, catenulate
arrange in a series of rings or chains, as for spores
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decorate, dress
provide with decoration
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develop
superimpose a three-dimensional surface on a plane without stretching, in geometry
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array, lay out, range, set out
lay out orderly or logically in a line or as if in a line
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bundle, compact, pack, wad
compress into a wad
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reship
place on a ship again or transfer to another ship
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reduce
reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site
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pop
put or thrust suddenly and forcefully
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flump, plank, plonk, plop, plump, plump down, plunk, plunk down
set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise
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broadcast
sow over a wide area, especially by hand
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inseminate, sow, sow in
place seeds in or on (the ground)
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scatter
sow by scattering
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rail
lay with rails
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heap, pile, stack
arrange in stacks
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distribute, stagger
arrange in a systematic order
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stuff
cram into a cavity
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root
plant by the roots
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puddle
dip into mud before planting
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checkrow
plant in checkrows
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drape
arrange in a particular way
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drape
place casually
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reseat
show to a different seat
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lay
lay eggs
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blow
lay eggs
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bed
place (plants) in a prepared bed of soil
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dibble
plant with a wooden hand tool
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afforest, forest
establish a forest on previously unforested land
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replant
plant again or anew
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retrofit
fit in or on an existing structure, such as an older house
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reinstall
install again
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post, put up
place so as to be noticed
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inject, shoot
force or drive (a fluid or gas) into by piercing
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gradate
arrange according to grades
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tree
plant with trees
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square
position so as to be square
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sediment
settle as sediment
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sediment
deposit as a sediment
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dress, line up
arrange in ranks
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bury, entomb, inhume, inter, lay to rest
place in a grave or tomb
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rebury
bury again
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line up
form a line
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orient
cause to point
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locate
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put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
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synonyms:
plant
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types:
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root
plant by the roots
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puddle
dip into mud before planting
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checkrow
plant in checkrows
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bed
place (plants) in a prepared bed of soil
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dibble
plant with a wooden hand tool
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afforest, forest
establish a forest on previously unforested land
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replant
plant again or anew
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tree
plant with trees
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re-afforest
reestablish a forest after clear-cutting or fire, etc.
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reforest
forest anew
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fix in a border
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arrange attractively
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types:
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bob
cut hair in the style of a bob
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wave
set waves in
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marcel
make a marcel in a woman's hair
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gauffer, goffer
make wavy with a heated goffering iron
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perm
give a permanent wave to
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put into a position that will restore a normal state
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insert (a nail or screw below the surface, as into a countersink)
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synonyms:
countersink
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disappear beyond the horizon
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the act of putting something in position“he gave a final set to his hat”
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type of:
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emplacement, locating, location, placement, position, positioning
the act of putting something in a certain place
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emplacement, locating, location, placement, position, positioning
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representation consisting of the scenery and other properties used to identify the location of a dramatic production“the sets were meticulously authentic”
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synonyms:
stage set
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scene, scenery
the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale
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backcloth, backdrop, background
scenery hung at back of stage
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flat
scenery consisting of a wooden frame covered with painted canvas; part of a stage setting
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masking, masking piece
scenery used to block the audience's view of parts of the stage that should not be seen
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set piece
a piece of scenery intended to stand alone as part of the stage setting
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type of:
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representation
a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of someone or something
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the descent of a heavenly body below the horizon“before the set of sun”
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type of:
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descent
a movement downward
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descent
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situated in a particular spot or position
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being below the horizon“the moon is set”
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Synonyms:
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down
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
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down
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decide upon or fix definitely
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quantify
use as a quantifier
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name
mention and identify by name
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reset
set anew
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define
give a definition for the meaning of a word
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redefine
give a new or different definition of (a word)
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fix conclusively or authoritatively“set the rules”
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synonyms:
determine
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types:
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identify, place
recognize as being; establish the identity of someone or something
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date
assign a date to; determine the (probable) date of
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value
fix or determine the value of; assign a value to
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filiate
fix the paternity of
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format
determine the arrangement of (data) for storage and display (in computer science)
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charge
set or ask for a certain price
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initialise, initialize
assign an initial value to a computer program
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assess, tax
set or determine the amount of (a payment such as a fine)
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price
determine the price of
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chronologise, chronologize
establish the order in time of something
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misdate
assign the wrong date to
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differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, separate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart
mark as different
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overestimate, overvalue
assign too high a value to
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underestimate, undervalue
assign too low a value to
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float
allow (currencies) to fluctuate
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mark up
increase the price of
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manipulate, rig
manipulate in a fraudulent manner
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overprice
price excessively high
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underquote
offer for sale at a price lower than the market price
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establish as the highest level or best performance
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estimate
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become gelatinous
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set down according to a plan:"a carefully laid table with places set for four people"
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determined or decided upon as by an authority“the time set for the launching”
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synonyms:
determined, dictated
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settled
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
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settled
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converted to solid form (as concrete)
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fixed and unmoving
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the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying or crystallization“he tested the set of the glue”
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synonyms:
curing, hardening, solidification, solidifying
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types:
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congealment, congelation
the process of congealing; solidification by (or as if by) freezing
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type of:
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action, activity, natural action, natural process
a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)
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congealment, congelation
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a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used“a set of books”“a set of golf clubs”“a set of teeth”
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dentition, teeth
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
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singleton
a set containing a single member
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brace, pair
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
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triad, trio, triple, triplet
a set of three similar things considered as a unit
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quadruple, quadruplet, quartet, quartette
a set of four similar things considered as a unit
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quintet, quintette, quintuple, quintuplet
a set of five similar things considered as a unit
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sestet, sextet, sextette
a set of six similar things considered as a unit
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septet, septette
a set of seven similar things considered as a unit
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octet, octette
a set of eight similar things considered as a unit
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chess set
checkerboard and a set of 32 pieces used to play chess
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manicure set
a set of implements used to manicure
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join, sum, union
a set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets
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Cartesian product, intersection, product
the set of elements common to two or more sets
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field
all the competitors in a particular contest or sporting event
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field
all of the horses in a particular horse race
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field
(computer science) a set of one or more adjacent characters comprising a unit of information
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bracket
a category falling within certain defined limits
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conjugation
the complete set of inflected forms of a verb
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suite
a matching set of furniture
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choir, consort
a family of similar musical instrument playing together
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core, core group, nucleus
a small group of indispensable persons or things
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portfolio
a set of pieces of creative work collected to be shown to potential customers or employers
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score
a set of twenty members
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threescore
a set with 3 times 20 members
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synset
a set of one or more synonyms
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primary dentition
dentition of deciduous teeth
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secondary dentition
dentition of permanent teeth
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trilogy
a set of three literary or dramatic works related in subject or theme
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trigon, triplicity
(astrology) one of four groups of the zodiac where each group consists of three signs separated from each other by 120 degrees
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Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Tweedledum and Tweedledee
any two people who are hard to tell apart
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direct sum
a union of two disjoint sets in which every element is the sum of an element from each of the disjoint sets
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bit field
a field containing only binary characters
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income bracket, income tax bracket, tax bracket
a category of taxpayers based on the amount of their income
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price bracket
a category of merchandise based on their price
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bedroom set, bedroom suite
a suite of furniture for the bedroom
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diningroom set, diningroom suite
a suite of furniture for the dining room
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livingroom set, livingroom suite
a suite of furniture for the living room
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cadre
a nucleus of military personnel capable of expansion
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type of:
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accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, collection
several things grouped together or considered as a whole
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(mathematics) an abstract collection of numbers or symbols“the set of prime numbers is infinite”
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types:
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interval
a set containing all points (or all real numbers) between two given endpoints
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group, mathematical group
a set that is closed, associative, has an identity element and every element has an inverse
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domain, domain of a function
(mathematics) the set of values of the independent variable for which a function is defined
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image, range, range of a function
(mathematics) the set of values of the dependent variable for which a function is defined
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universal set
(mathematics) the set that contains all the elements or objects involved in the problem under consideration
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locus
the set of all points or lines that satisfy or are determined by specific conditions
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subset
a set whose members are members of another set; a set contained within another set
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null set
a set that is empty; a set with no members
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Mandelbrot set
a set of complex numbers that has a highly convoluted fractal boundary when plotted; the set of all points in the complex plane that are bounded under a certain mathematical iteration
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mathematical space, topological space
(mathematics) any set of points that satisfy a set of postulates of some kind
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field
(mathematics) a set of elements such that addition and multiplication are commutative and associative and multiplication is distributive over addition and there are two elements 0 and 1
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root, solution
the set of values that give a true statement when substituted into an equation
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diagonal
(mathematics) a set of entries in a square matrix running diagonally either from the upper left to lower right entry or running from the upper right to lower left entry
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intersection
a point or set of points common to two or more geometric configurations
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origin
the point of intersection of coordinate axes; where the values of the coordinates are all zero
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bounded interval, closed interval
an interval that includes its endpoints
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open interval, unbounded interval
an interval that does not include its endpoints
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sub-interval
an interval that is included in another interval
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subgroup
(mathematics) a subset (that is not empty) of a mathematical group
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Abelian group, commutative group
a group that satisfies the commutative law
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subspace
a space that is contained within another space
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null space
a space that contains no points; and empty space
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manifold
a set of points such as those of a closed surface or an analogue in three or more dimensions
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metric space
a set of points such that for every pair of points there is a nonnegative real number called their distance that is symmetric and satisfies the triangle inequality
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scalar field
a field of scalars
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type of:
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abstract entity, abstraction
a general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples
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several exercises intended to be done in series“he did four sets of the incline bench press”
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synonyms:
exercise set
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type of:
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exercise, exercising, physical exercise, physical exertion, workout
the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit
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exercise, exercising, physical exercise, physical exertion, workout
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a unit of play in tennis or squash“they played two sets of tennis after dinner”
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type of:
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period of play, play, playing period
(in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds
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period of play, play, playing period
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an unofficial association of people or groups“the smart set goes there”
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types:
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car pool
a small group of car drivers who arrange to take turns driving while the others are passengers
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camp, clique, coterie, ingroup, inner circle, pack
an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
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cohort
a band of warriors (originally a unit of a Roman Legion)
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confederacy, conspiracy
a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose
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Four Hundred
the exclusive social set of a city
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horsey set, horsy set
a set of people sharing a devotion to horses and horseback riding and horse racing
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jet set
a set of rich and fashionable people who travel widely for pleasure
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company, party
a band of people associated temporarily in some activity
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Bloomsbury Group
an inner circle of writers and artists and philosophers who lived in or around Bloomsbury early in the 20th century and were noted for their unconventional lifestyles
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bohemia
a group of artists and writers with real or pretended artistic or intellectual aspirations and usually an unconventional life style
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brain trust, kitchen cabinet
an inner circle of unofficial advisors to the head of a government
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loop
an inner circle of advisors (especially under President Reagan)
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cabal, camarilla, faction, junto
a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue
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junta, military junta
a group of military officers who rule a country after seizing power
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maffia, mafia
any tightly knit group of trusted associates
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faction, sect
a dissenting clique
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fatigue party
a group of soldiers on fatigue duty
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landing party
a part of a ship's company organized for special duties ashore
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party to the action, party to the transaction
a party of people taking a role in legal proceedings
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rescue party
a party of rescuers
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search party
a party of people to search for someone
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stretcher party
a party of people with stretchers to carry an injured person
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war party
a band of warriors who raid or fight an enemy (used especially of Native Americans)
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galere, rogue's gallery
a coterie of undesirable people
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hard core
the most dedicated and intensely loyal nucleus of a group or movement
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type of:
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social group
people sharing some social relation
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any electronic equipment that receives or transmits radio or tv signals“the early sets ran on storage batteries”
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types:
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receiver, receiving system
set that receives radio or tv signals
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sender, transmitter
set used to broadcast radio or tv signals
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direction finder
radio; determines the direction of incoming radio waves
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jammer
a transmitter used to broadcast electronic jamming
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radio, radio receiver, radio set, receiving set, tuner, wireless
an electronic receiver that detects and demodulates and amplifies transmitted signals
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radio transmitter
transmitter that is the part of a radio system that transmits signals
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satellite receiver
a receiver on a communications satellite
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satellite transmitter
a transmitter on a communications satellite
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boob tube, goggle box, idiot box, television, television receiver, television set, telly, tv, tv set
an electronic device that receives television signals and displays them on a screen
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television transmitter
transmitter that is part of a television system
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type of:
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electronic equipment, electronics
equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor)
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put into a certain state; cause to be in a certain state
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make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
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types:
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socialise, socialize
prepare for social life
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provide
take measures in preparation for
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cram
prepare (students) hastily for an impending exam
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precondition
put into the required condition beforehand
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fix
kill, preserve, and harden (tissue) in order to prepare for microscopic study
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mount
fix onto a backing, setting, or support
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lay out, set up
get ready for a particular purpose or event
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winterise, winterize
prepare for winter
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summerise, summerize
prepare for summer
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prime
insert a primer into (a gun, mine, or charge) preparatory to detonation or firing
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crop, cultivate, work
prepare for crops
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brace, poise
prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult
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overcrop, overcultivate
to exhaust by excessive cultivation
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nerve, steel
get ready for something difficult or unpleasant
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get ready for a particular purpose or event
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apply or start
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adapt for performance in a different way“set this poem to music”
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synonyms:
arrange
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types:
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prearrange
arrange beforehand
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put
adapt
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transpose
put (a piece of music) into another key
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table, tabularise, tabularize, tabulate
arrange or enter in tabular form
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alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
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proportion
adjust in size relative to other things
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modulate
adjust the pitch, tone, or volume of
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temper
adjust the pitch (of pianos)
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tune, tune up
adjust the pitches of (musical instruments)
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calibrate, fine-tune, graduate
make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring
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tune, tune up
adjust for (better) functioning
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time
adjust so that a force is applied and an action occurs at the desired time
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trim
adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used
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zero, zero in
adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun)
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zero
adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
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readjust, reset
adjust again after an initial failure
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attune
adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with
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time
regulate or set the time of
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modulate, regulate
fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
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focalise, focalize, focus, sharpen
put (an image) into focus
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sync, synchronise, synchronize
make synchronous and adjust in time or manner
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pressurise, pressurize
increase the pressure in or of
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decompress, depressurise, depressurize
decrease the pressure of
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fit, match
make correspond or harmonize
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plumb
adjust with a plumb line so as to make vertical
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align, coordinate, ordinate
bring (components or parts) into proper or desirable coordination correlation
-
harmonise, harmonize, reconcile
bring into consonance or accord
-
linearise, linearize
make linear or get into a linear form
-
justify
adjust the spaces between words
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citify
accustom to urban ways
-
coax
carefully manipulate, adjust, or bring to a desired state
-
reset
set to zero
-
fine-tune, tweak
adjust finely
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refocus
put again into focus or focus more sharply
-
phase
adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition
-
puncture
cause to lose air pressure or collapse by piercing
-
scale down
reduce proportionally
-
scale up
increase proportionally
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service
make fit for use
-
misalign
align imperfectly or badly
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key
harmonize with or adjust to
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advance, set ahead
move forward
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tune in
regulate (a radio or television set) in order to receive a certain station or program
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balance, equilibrate, equilibrise, equilibrize
bring into balance or equilibrium
-
set to a certain position or cause to operate correctly
-
equip with sails or masts
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set in type
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give a fine, sharp edge to a knife or razor
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type of:
-
hone
sharpen with a hone
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hone
-
urge to attack someone
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a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way“the set of his mind was obvious”
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synonyms:
bent
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type of:
-
disposition, inclination, tendency
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
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disposition, inclination, tendency
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(psychology) being temporarily ready to respond in a particular way“the subjects' set led them to solve problems the familiar way and to overlook the simpler solution”“his instructions deliberately gave them the wrong set”
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synonyms:
readiness
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type of:
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cognitive state, state of mind
the state of a person's cognitive processes
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cognitive state, state of mind
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(usually followed by `to' or `for') on the point of or strongly disposed
-
bear fruit
Pronunciation
US
/sɛt/
UK
/sɛt/
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