setup

[ set-uhp ]

noun

1. organization; arrangement.
2. an act or instance of setting up or getting ready:

   The setup of the lights and camera took most of the morning.

3. the carriage of the body; bearing.
4. a camera position, as for a particular shot.
5. everything required for an alcoholic drink except the liquor, as a glass, ice, and soda water, as served to patrons who provide their own liquor.
6. Informal.
   1. an undertaking or contest deliberately made easy.
   2. a match or game arranged with an opponent who can be defeated without risk or effort.
   3. an opponent easy to defeat.
7. Sports.
   1. a shot or play that results in a puck, shuttlecock, ball, or balls being so positioned as to provide a player with an easy opportunity for a winning shot:

      a playmaker who excels in setups.

   2. the position of such a puck, ball, etc.:

      a setup close to and to the left of the goalkeeper.

   3. the puck, ball, etc., itself:

      The wing banged the setup into the goal.

8. an arrangement of all the tools, parts, apparatus, etc., necessary for any of various specific jobs or purposes.
9. the equipment or items necessary for a particular activity or period; kit:

   Each student gets a weekly setup of clean blankets, sheets, and towels.

10. a plan or projected course of action.
11. a prearranged situation or circumstance, usually created to fool or trap someone; trick; scheme.

Usage Note

See login.

Word History and Origins

Origin of setup¹

First recorded in 1600–10; noun use of verb phrase set up

Example Sentences

According to agency executives, the split ad server setups limit the companies’ abilities to completely rein in ad exposures.

From Digiday

In their setup, a masked person in a dark room speaks into a wide laser beam.

From Science News

That barebones setup served the startup well, generating $13 million in revenue for 2019, according to the company.

From Digiday

The reason why so many DTC brands still use Shopify is because they haven’t grown to the point where they require a more unique e-commerce setup.

From Digiday

Given this setup, you can then start to analyze the line using the techniques of two-dimensional geometry.

From Quanta Magazine

The amenities include a fitness room, a sauna, a beauty parlor, and a karaoke setup.

From The Daily Beast

He was actually outside the age range for what my account was setup for.

From The Daily Beast

In one passage Brother Consolmango explains the setup of daily life as a science priest.

From The Daily Beast

It seemed crammed with characters, and like a setup film for The Sinister Six spin-off.

From The Daily Beast

After the Al Jazeera crew ran from the gas, police broken down their light setup and pointed their cameras at the ground.

From The Daily Beast

He said quickly: "Come to think of it, Arnold did mention that he was here most of last night, working on setup."

From Project Gutenberg

Something about the conditional setup seemed to give me an idea.

From Project Gutenberg

Without your setup, think of all the people that might have been killed or injured!

From Project Gutenberg

In the meantime, Bud and I will go to work on this setup here.

From Project Gutenberg

Think what a wonderful 'inside man' he'd make in the enemy setup!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• composition
• foundation
• set-up
• structure
• system