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Synonyms

set-aside

American  
[set-uh-sahyd] / ˈsɛt əˌsaɪd /

noun

  1. something, as land or profits, set aside for a particular purpose.

  2. a tract of federal lands set aside as a wildlife refuge, oil exploration site, etc.

  3. a tract of farmland on which commercial crops or a specific crop will not be grown, as part of a federal plan to decrease production in order to maintain or increase prices.

  4. a specified amount or percentage of an industry's production set aside, especially for government use.

    Ten percent of gasoline production is a set-aside for emergency use by the state.

  5. a government contract awarded, as to a minority-owned business, without competitive bidding.


adjective

  1. pertaining to or constituting a set-aside.

    set-aside provisions of the new law.

set aside British  

verb

  1. to reserve for a special purpose; put to one side

  2. to discard, dismiss, or quash

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

    1. (in the European Union) a scheme in which a proportion of farmland is taken out of production in order to reduce surpluses or maintain or increase prices of a specific crop

    2. ( as modifier )

      set-aside land

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
set aside Idioms  
  1. Separate and reserve for a special purpose, as in We have to set aside some chairs for latecomers . [Early 1700s] Also see set by .

  2. Discard or reject, as in Setting aside all health considerations, do you believe this law is fair to smokers? [Early 1400s]

  3. Declare invalid, annul, or overrule, as in The higher court set aside the conviction . [Mid-1700s] Also see lay aside .


Etymology

Origin of set-aside

First recorded in 1940–45; noun, adj. use of verb phrase set aside

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.

It includes the unique Stehekin Valley — inaccessible by road and, thanks to Congress’ set-aside, a rare lowland valley with an unsullied wild river and more trout, bear and deer than buildings.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024

He insisted he was all in favour of tackling climate change, but that the set-aside rule made no practical sense.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2024

The new outreach enables certified veteran-owned small businesses and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses to compete for set-aside government contracts.

From Washington Times • Jan. 18, 2023

California’s legislative analyst estimates the set-aside would generate up to $1 billion that would be prioritized for districts that serve low-income families with the greatest number of Black and Latino students.

From New York Times • Sep. 26, 2022

The tuition policy will result in $16 million in additional financial aid — $4 million of it from the larger set-aside this year.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2022