dead set

[ded set, ded set]

adjective

1. firmly decided or determined; resolved.

   His family was dead set against the marriage.

noun

1. a serious or determined attempt; firm effort.

   He made a dead set at winning the championship.

2. Hunting.,  the stiff posture assumed by a hunting dog in indicating the presence and location of game.

dead set

adverb

1. absolutely

   he is dead set against going to Spain

noun

1. the motionless position of a dog when pointing with its muzzle towards game

adjective

1. (of a hunting dog) in this position

interjection

1. slang,  an expression of affirmation

   dead set, I worked from dawn to dusk

Word History and Origins

Origin of dead set¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

“There were some colleagues that were dead set against it, saying they would never help China learn our technology,” said one magnet expert who ultimately agreed to go to China.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The administration “appears to be dead set on liquidating our public lands as quickly as possible,” said Drew McConville, senior fellow with the Center for American Progress, a nonprofit.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“It was like I was dead set on proving everybody I was a real Class-A f— up,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"The very fact they were dead set on employing these independent advocates themselves says something about the culture - its control, and just not even beginning to understand the nature of independence."

Read more on BBC

“He is dead set on it,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said at MLB’s winter meetings.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adamant 
• austere 
• definite 
• exact 
• fixed 
• hard-line 
• harsh 
• inflexible 
• intransigent 
• rigorous 
• solid 
• stern 
• stringent 
• uncompromising 
• unyielding