set out
Britishverb
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to present, arrange, or display
he set the flowers out in the vase
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to give a full account of; explain exactly
he set out the matter in full
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to plan or lay out (a garden, etc)
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(intr) to begin or embark on an undertaking, esp a journey
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Begin an earnest attempt, as in He set out to prove his point , or We accomplished what we set out to do . [Late 1800s]
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Lay out systematically, as in She set out all the reports in chronological order . [Second half of 1500s]
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Display for exhibition or sale, as in The Japanese restaurant set out samples of all the different kinds of sushi . [c. 1300]
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Plant, as in It was time to set out the seedlings . [Early 1800s]
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Begin a journey, as in They set out at dawn . [Late 1500s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Steve, who has recently turned 80, feels he has achieved what he set out to do.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
On Tuesday the three candidates in Geneva set out how they would reform the UN, which is facing a lack of funding, multiple conflicts and dwindling faith in multilateralism.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
“On paper, the transaction clearly makes sense both strategically and financially,” Oddo says, noting the antitrust measures that Intesa set out as part of its bid.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Said dog may have been witness to a supernatural murder, leading the group of teens to set out to solve the case.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Morale was high as they set out on their seven-thousand-mile journey.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
