set down

British  

verb

1. to write down or record

2. to judge, consider, or regard

   he set him down as an idiot

3. (foll by to) to ascribe; attribute

   his attitude was set down to his illness

4. to reprove; rebuke

5. to snub; dismiss

6. to allow (passengers) to alight from a bus, taxi, etc

---

set down Idioms  

1. Place in a lower position, as in Set the baby down here , or Set the bags down on the hall table . [Late 1400s]

2. Put in writing, record, as in Just set down all the facts as you remember them . [Second half of 1500s]

3. Regard, consider, as in Just set him down as a fool . [Late 1700s]

4. Assign to a cause, ascribe, as in Let's set down his error to inexperience . [Early 1800s]

5. Land an aircraft, as in The pilot set the plane down hard on the runway . Also see put down .

---

Example Sentences

In short, Kagan would have resolved this case as a good textualist, operating within the methodological terms set down by the majority’s opinion, minus the major-questions thumb on the scale.

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026

Coco Gauff survived a scare as she recovered from early serving problems and being a set down against fellow American Hailey Baptiste to reach the Australian Open last 16 on Friday.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

He also tackles the question of whether that role was at odds with the Stoic ideals that Marcus set down in the intervals between battles in the notes that became the “Meditations.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Noah, who has his own health issues, visits her to read from a notebook the story that she set down on paper to prevent her from forgetting the love that illuminated her life.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

When we arrived at the alley behind the shop, James stopped short before we reached the door and set down my basket.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• authorize
• base
• build
• create
• enact
• form
• found
• inaugurate
• install
• institute
• provide
• put
• settle
• start