Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Set \Set\ (s[e^]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Set}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Setting}.] [OE. setten, AS. setton; akin to OS. settian,
   OFries. setta, D. zetten, OHG. sezzen, G. setzen, Icel.
   setja, Sw. s["a]tta, Dan. s?tte, Goth. satjan; causative from
   the root of E. sit. [root]154. See {Sit}, and cf. {Seize}.]
   1. To cause to sit; to make to assume a specified position or
      attitude; to give site or place to; to place; to put; to
      fix; as, to set a house on a stone foundation; to set a
      book on a shelf; to set a dish on a table; to set a chest
      or trunk on its bottom or on end.

            I do set my bow in the cloud.         --Gen. ix. 13.

   2. Hence, to attach or affix (something) to something else,
      or in or upon a certain place.

            Set your affection on things above.   --Col. iii. 2.

            The Lord set a mark upon Cain.        --Gen. iv. 15.

   3. To make to assume specified place, condition, or
      occupation; to put in a certain condition or state
      (described by the accompanying words); to cause to be.

            The Lord thy God will set thee on high. --Deut.
                                                  xxviii. 1.

            I am come to set a man at variance against his
            father, and the daughter against her mother. --Matt.
                                                  x. 35.

            Every incident sets him thinking.     --Coleridge.

   4. To fix firmly; to make fast, permanent, or stable; to
      render motionless; to give an unchanging place, form, or
      condition to. Specifically:
      (a) To cause to stop or stick; to obstruct; to fasten to a
          spot; hence, to occasion difficulty to; to embarrass;
          as, to set a coach in the mud.

                They show how hard they are set in this
                particular.                       --Addison.
      (b) To fix beforehand; to determine; hence, to make
          unyielding or obstinate; to render stiff, unpliant, or
          rigid; as, to set one's countenance.

                His eyes were set by reason of his age. --1
                                                  Kings xiv. 4.

                On these three objects his heart was set.
                                                  --Macaulay.

                Make my heart as a millstone, set my face as a
                flint.                            --Tennyson.
      (c) To fix in the ground, as a post or a tree; to plant;
          as, to set pear trees in an orchard.
      (d) To fix, as a precious stone, in a border of metal; to
          place in a setting; hence, to place in or amid
          something which serves as a setting; as, to set glass
          in a sash.

                And him too rich a jewel to be set In vulgar
                metal for a vulgar use.           --Dryden.
      (e) To render stiff or solid; especially, to convert into
          curd; to curdle; as, to set milk for cheese.

   5. To put into a desired position or condition; to adjust; to
      regulate; to adapt. Specifically:

Setting \Set"ting\, n.
   1. The act of one who, or that which, sets; as, the setting
      of type, or of gems; the setting of the sun; the setting
      (hardening) of moist plaster of Paris; the setting (set)
      of a current.

   2. The act of marking the position of game, as a setter does;
      also, hunting with a setter. --Boyle.

   3. Something set in, or inserted.

            Thou shalt set in it settings of stones. --Ex.
                                                  xxviii. 17.

   4. That in which something, as a gem, is set; as, the gold
      setting of a jeweled pin.

   {Setting coat} (Arch.), the finishing or last coat of
      plastering on walls or ceilings.

   {Setting dog}, a setter. See {Setter}, n., 2.

   {Setting pole}, a pole, often iron-pointed, used for pushing
      boats along in shallow water.

   {Setting rule}. (Print.) A composing rule.

Source : WordNet®

set
     adj 1: (usually followed by `to' or `for') on the point of or
            strongly disposed; "in no fit state to continue"; "fit
            to drop"; "laughing fit to burst"; "she was fit to
            scream"; "primed for a fight"; "we are set to go at
            any time" [syn: {fit(p)}, {primed(p)}, {set(p)}]
     2: fixed and unmoving; "with eyes set in a fixed glassy stare";
        "his bearded face already has a set hollow look"- Connor
        Cruise O'Brien; "a face rigid with pain" [syn: {fixed}, {rigid}]
     3: situated in a particular spot or position; "valuable
        centrally located urban land"; "strategically placed
        artillery"; "a house set on a hilltop"; "nicely situated
        on a quiet riverbank" [syn: {located}, {placed}, {situated}]
     4: set down according to a plan:"a carefully laid table with
        places set for four people"; "stones laid in a pattern"
        [syn: {laid}]
     5: being below the horizon; "the moon is set" [syn: {set(p)}]
     6: determined or decided upon as by an authority; "date and
        place are already determined"; "the dictated terms of
        surrender"; "the time set for the launching" [syn: {determined},
         {dictated}]
     7: converted to solid form (as concrete) [syn: {hardened}]
     [also: {setting}]

set
     n 1: 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"
     2: (mathematics) an abstract collection of numbers or symbols;
        "the set of prime numbers is infinite"
     3: several exercises intended to be done in series; "he did
        four sets of the incline bench press" [syn: {exercise set}]
     4: representation consisting of the scenery and other
        properties used to identify the location of a dramatic
        production; "the sets were meticulously authentic" [syn: {stage
        set}]
     5: an unofficial association of people or groups; "the smart
        set goes there"; "they were an angry lot" [syn: {circle},
        {band}, {lot}]
     6: a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular
        way; "the set of his mind was obvious" [syn: {bent}]
     7: the act of putting something in position; "he gave a final
        set to his hat"
     8: a unit of play in tennis or squash; "they played two sets of
        tennis after dinner"
     9: the process of becoming hard or solid by cooling or drying
        or crystallization; "the hardening of concrete"; "he
        tested the set of the glue" [syn: {hardening}, {solidifying},
         {solidification}, {curing}]
     10: evil beast-headed Egyptian god with high square ears and a
         long snout; brother and murderer of Osiris [syn: {Seth}]
     11: the descent of a heavenly body below the horizon; "before
         the set of sun"
     12: (psychology) a temporary readiness 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" [syn: {readiness}]
     13: any electronic equipment that receives or transmits radio or
         tv signals; "the early sets ran on storage batteries"
     [also: {setting}]

setting
     adj : (of a heavenly body) disappearing below the horizon; "the
           setting sun" [ant: {rising}]

setting
     n 1: the context and environment in which something is set; "the
          perfect setting for a ghost story" [syn: {scene}]
     2: the state of the environment in which a situation exists;
        "you can't do that in a university setting" [syn: {background},
         {scope}]
     3: arrangement of scenery and properties to represent the place
        where a play or movie is enacted [syn: {mise en scene}, {stage
        setting}]
     4: the physical position of something; "he changed the setting
        on the thermostat"
     5: a table service for one person; "a place setting of sterling
        flatware" [syn: {place setting}]
     6: mounting consisting of a piece of metal (as in a ring or
        other jewelry) that holds a gem in place; "the diamond was
        in a plain gold mount" [syn: {mount}]

set
     v 1: put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your
          things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the
          scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a
          certain point" [syn: {put}, {place}, {pose}, {position},
           {lay}]
     2: fix conclusively or authoritatively; "set the rules" [syn: {determine}]
     3: decide upon or fix definitely; "fix the variables"; "specify
        the parameters" [syn: {specify}, {determine}, {fix}, {limit}]
     4: establish as the highest level or best performance; "set a
        record" [syn: {mark}]
     5: put into a certain state; cause to be in a certain state;
        "set the house afire"
     6: fix in a border; "The goldsmith set the diamond"
     7: make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular
        purpose or for some use, event, etc; "Get the children
        ready for school!"; "prepare for war"; "I was fixing to
        leave town after I paid the hotel bill" [syn: {fix}, {prepare},
         {set up}, {ready}, {gear up}]
     8: set to a certain position or cause to operate correctly;
        "set clocks or instruments"
     9: locate; "The film is set in Africa" [syn: {localize}, {localise},
         {place}]
     10: disappear beyond the horizon; "the sun sets early these
         days" [syn: {go down}, {go under}] [ant: {rise}]
     11: adapt for performance in a different way; "set this poem to
         music" [syn: {arrange}]
     12: put or set (seeds or seedlings) into the ground; "Let's
         plant flowers in the garden" [syn: {plant}]
     13: apply or start; "set fire to a building"
     14: become gelatinous; "the liquid jelled after we added the
         enzyme" [syn: {jell}, {congeal}]
     15: put into a position that will restore a normal state; "set a
         broken bone"
     16: insert (a nail or screw below the surface, as into a
         countersink) [syn: {countersink}]
     17: give a fine, sharp edge to a knife or razor
     18: urge a dog to attack someone [syn: {sic}]
     19: estimate; "We put the time of arrival at 8 P.M." [syn: {place},
          {put}]
     20: equip with sails, masts, etc.; "rig a ship" [syn: {rig}, {set
         up}]
     21: get ready for a particular purpose or event; "set up an
         experiment"; "set the table"; "lay out the tools for the
         surgery" [syn: {set up}, {lay out}]
     22: alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a
         standard; "Adjust the clock, please"; "correct the
         alignment of the front wheels" [syn: {adjust}, {correct}]
     23: bear fruit; "the apple trees fructify" [syn: {fructify}]
     24: arrange attractively; "dress my hair for the wedding" [syn:
         {dress}, {arrange}, {do}, {coif}, {coiffe}, {coiffure}]
     [also: {setting}]

setting
     See {set}