set out
Britishverb
-
to present, arrange, or display
he set the flowers out in the vase
-
to give a full account of; explain exactly
he set out the matter in full
-
to plan or lay out (a garden, etc)
-
(intr) to begin or embark on an undertaking, esp a journey
-
Begin an earnest attempt, as in He set out to prove his point , or We accomplished what we set out to do . [Late 1800s]
-
Lay out systematically, as in She set out all the reports in chronological order . [Second half of 1500s]
-
Display for exhibition or sale, as in The Japanese restaurant set out samples of all the different kinds of sushi . [c. 1300]
-
Plant, as in It was time to set out the seedlings . [Early 1800s]
-
Begin a journey, as in They set out at dawn . [Late 1500s]
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.
As he continues a flurry of early policy announcements, Burnham on Tuesday set out plans to strike a balance in the education system between prioritising academic and technical skills.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
However the judge said that the request was covered by the bail conditions set out at her initial appearance on Friday.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The drones make a grueling job a little bit easier by delivering a hot breakfast in minutes to Sherpa climbers who set out in the middle of the night with just headlamps to guide them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
It’s what she and countless other historians set out to do when they first started studying the past.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
She fluffed the pillows, then checked her tiny bathroom and set out a towel.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
