set a precedent

Idioms  

1. Establish a usage, tradition, or standard to be followed in the future. For example, He set a precedent by having the chaplain lead the academic procession. The word precedent here signifies a previous instance or legal decision upon which future instances are based, a usage dating from the early 1400s. In British and American law it more specifically refers to a legal decision that may be used as a standard in subsequent cases.

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Example Sentences

If the release goes well, it could set a precedent for the company and how it launches products based on price in the future.

From Barron's

Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev also wondered whether the move would set a precedent for other technology companies.

From MarketWatch

His work set a precedent for autonomy and creative control as hip-hop became a commercial juggernaut in the ’90s.

From Los Angeles Times

And in demonstrating that “internment on a massive scale was now not only imaginable but also feasible,” Mr. Brundage writes, America set a precedent that would be followed in every major war to come.

From The Wall Street Journal

If the Supreme Court’s decision reinforces state autonomy, a win in Washington could set a precedent for other jurisdictions, accelerating a cultural shift toward policies that treat women and families with respect.

From The Wall Street Journal