set about
Britishverb
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to start or begin
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to attack physically or verbally
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.
The previous owners had already done some nuts-and-bolts upgrades, and Walsh and Stewart set about converting the attic into two extra bedrooms and a bathroom.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
Frank Kerr set about counting this money in the registered letter enclosure.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
The company found them at Princeton University, where it set about amplifying their work by donating $15 million to start the Carbon Mitigation Initiative.
From Salon • Jun. 26, 2026
As he boosts RIG, Navratil has set about slimming down Nestlé.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The Duchess set about studying Annette and shortly found her adversary’s tragic flaw.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
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.
