set off

¹ British  

verb

1. (intr) to embark on a journey

2. (tr) to cause (a person) to act or do something, such as laugh or tell stories

3. (tr) to cause to explode

4. (tr) to act as a foil or contrast to, esp so as to improve

   that brooch sets your dress off well

5. (tr) accounting to cancel a credit on (one account) against a debit on another, both of which are in the name of the same person, enterprise, etc

6. (intr) to bring a claim by way of setoff

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noun

1. anything that serves as a counterbalance

2. anything that serves to contrast with or enhance something else; foil

3. another name for setback See set back

4. a counterbalancing debt or claim offered by a debtor against a creditor

5. a cross claim brought by a debtor that partly offsets the creditor's claim See also counterclaim

set-off ² British  

noun

1. Also called (esp Brit): offset.  printing a fault in which ink is transferred from a heavily inked or undried printed sheet to the sheet next to it in a pile

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set off Idioms  

1. Give rise to, cause to occur, as in The acid set off a chemical reaction . [Early 1600s]

2. Cause to explode, as in They set off a bomb . [Late 1800s]

3. Distinguish, show to be different, contrast with, as in That black coat sets him off from the others in the picture , or Italics set this sentence off from the rest of the text . [Late 1500s]

4. Enhance, make more attractive, as in That color sets off her blonde hair . [Early 1600s]

5. Begin a journey, leave, as in When do you set off for Europe? [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

It is also important to prepare for journeys to take longer and check traffic reports before setting off.

From BBC

For countries in the region, the new policy will set off a scramble to adjust.

From The Wall Street Journal

“All because my dad hit his head at this park,” Soboroff says with a smirk, recalling the incident that set off his father’s community safety efforts.

From Los Angeles Times

It set off desperate searches to find loved-ones who had been inside, as rescuers rushed survivors to burn units across Switzerland and in neighboring countries for treatment.

From The Wall Street Journal

When that material finally broke free, it set off fresh shocks, and NASA's Fermi again observed gamma rays tied to the renewed violence.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• add to
• aggravate
• boost
• build up
• deepen
• enhance
• escalate
• exacerbate
• heat up
• heighten
• increase
• quicken
• raise
• redouble
• reinforce
• sharpen
• step up
• strengthen