set-aside
Americannoun
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something, as land or profits, set aside for a particular purpose.
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a tract of federal lands set aside as a wildlife refuge, oil exploration site, etc.
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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.
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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.
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a government contract awarded, as to a minority-owned business, without competitive bidding.
adjective
verb
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to reserve for a special purpose; put to one side
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to discard, dismiss, or quash
noun
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Separate and reserve for a special purpose, as in We have to set aside some chairs for latecomers . [Early 1700s] Also see set by .
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Discard or reject, as in Setting aside all health considerations, do you believe this law is fair to smokers? [Early 1400s]
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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
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.