set the table
IdiomsExample Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Explain Bivens doctrine now, to set the table for what follows.
From Slate ● Jan. 26, 2026
It could help set the table for Carney to say the "private sector says they want a deal. What can we do?" said Mr Sands.
From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2025
“Dune: Prophecy,” a prequel based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s “Great Schools of Dune” trilogy, has about six hours to set the table and whet our appetite.
From Salon ● Nov. 17, 2024
“How she has thrived in that role has set the table for so many of us.”
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 6, 2024
“But you’ll have to clean your room. And set the table for dinner, please. Which friends are you having?”
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
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.
