adjective
-
not yet solidified or firm
-
(of a gem) not yet in a setting
-
(of textual matter) not yet composed
Etymology
Origin of unset
1350–1400; Middle English: (of a time) unappointed; see un- 2, set
Explanation
If you didn't bake the cheesecake for long enough before you pulled it from the oven, it might still be unset. Something that's unset has not yet hardened or turned into a solid state. Usually, unset is used when referring to substances that need to firm up before being used or consumed — think concrete, glue, pudding, or gelatin. The word is also sometimes used to refer to precious stones, like diamonds or rubies, that haven't yet been made into jewelry by being mounted on a metal frame. A bag of unset gems might be a nice gift for a collector or jeweler, but you couldn't wear them on your body.
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.
For Dorothy, the lover is an aqua-man monster named Larry who finds her perfect even in her bathrobe, her hair unset.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023
"This will happen soon - an attache to the fleet," Eitan Naeh told Israel's Army Radio, adding that a date was yet unset.
From Reuters • Mar. 28, 2022
The dark fantasy starring Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci and Kristin Chenoweth was originally intended as a theatrical release, but like many others was unset due to the effects of COVID-19 on movie theaters.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 2, 2020
While an election date remains unset, labor advocates and experts say a union win of this size could spur further labor organizing across North Carolina.
From Washington Times • Jul. 13, 2020
She didn’t care what the buyers thought of her, dragging about in her bathrobe, her hair unset.
From "Typical American" by Gish Jen
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.
