SET UP

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does set up mean? 

• SET UP (verb)
  The verb SET UP has 15 senses:

1. set up or found

2. create by putting components or members together

3. construct, build, or erect

4. get ready for a particular purpose or event

5. put into a proper or systematic order

6. begin, or enable someone else to begin, a venture by providing the means, logistics, etc.

7. take or catch as if in a snare or trap

8. produce

9. set up for use

10. place

11. arrange the outcome of by means of deceit

12. erect and fasten

13. arrange thoughts, ideas, temporal events

14. equip with sails or masts

15. make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

  Familiarity information: SET UP used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SET UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Set up or found

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

establish; found; launch; set up

Context example:

She set up a literacy program

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

open; open up (start to operate or function or cause to start operating or functioning)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Create by putting components or members together

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

assemble; piece; put together; set up; tack; tack together

Context example:

They set up a committee

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

join (cause to become joined or linked)

create; make (make or cause to be or to become)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

comfit; confect; confection (make into a confection)

confuse; jumble; mix up (assemble without order or sense)

reassemble (assemble once again, after taking something apart)

configure (set up for a particular purpose)

compound (create by mixing or combining)

rig up (erect or construct, especially as a temporary measure)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Construct, build, or erect

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

erect; put up; raise; rear; set up

Context example:

Raise a barn

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

build; construct; make (make by combining materials and parts)

Domain category:

building; construction (the act of constructing something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Get ready for a particular purpose or event

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

lay out; set; set up

Context example:

lay out the tools for the surgery

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

fix; gear up; prepare; ready; set; set up (make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Put into a proper or systematic order

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

arrange; set up

Context example:

arrange the books on the shelves in chronological order

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

concord (arrange the words of a text so as to create a concordance)

cascade (arrange (open windows) on a computer desktop so that they overlap each other, with the title bars visible)

settle (arrange or fix in the desired order)

pyramid (arrange or build up as if on the base of a pyramid)

corral (arrange wagons so that they form a corral)

catenate; catenulate (arrange in a series of rings or chains, as for spores)

decorate; dress (provide with decoration)

array; lay out; range; set out (lay out orderly or logically in a line or as if in a line)

bundle; compact; pack; wad (compress into a wad)

heap; pile; stack (arrange in stacks)

distribute; stagger (to arrange in a systematic order)

drape (arrange in a particular way)

drape (place casually)

set (fix in a border)

gradate (arrange according to grades)

line up (form a line)

chain (connect or arrange into a chain by linking)

regularise; regularize (make regular or more regular)

order (place in a certain order)

order (bring order to or into)

straighten (make straight or straighter)

rearrange (put into a new order or arrangement)

serialise; serialize (arrange serially)

alphabetise; alphabetize (arrange in alphabetical order)

coordinate; organise; organize (bring order and organization to)

draw; string; thread (thread on or as if on a string)

marshal (arrange in logical order)

string (stretch out or arrange like a string)

spread out; string out (set out or stretch in a line, succession, or series)

plume; preen (clean with one's bill)

stack (arrange the order of so as to increase one's winning chances)

geminate; pair (arrange in pairs)

stratify (form layers or strata)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence examples:

They set up the bags on the table
The men set up the bookshelves

Sense 6

Meaning:

Begin, or enable someone else to begin, a venture by providing the means, logistics, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

set up an election

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

devise; get up; machinate; organise; organize; prepare (arrange by systematic planning and united effort)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Take or catch as if in a snare or trap

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

ensnare; entrap; frame; set up

Context example:

The innocent man was framed by the police

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

cozen; deceive; delude; lead on (be false to; be dishonest with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to set up the prisoners

Derivation:

setup (an act that incriminates someone on a false charge)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Produce

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

effect; effectuate; set up

Context example:

The scientists set up a shock wave

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

cause; do; make (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally)

Cause:

come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

accomplish; action; carry out; carry through; execute; fulfil; fulfill (put in effect)

draw; get (earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher)

precipitate (bring about abruptly)

hasten; induce; rush; stimulate (cause to occur rapidly)

serve (contribute or conduce to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Set up for use

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

instal; install; put in; set up

Context example:

We put in a new sink

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

post; put up (place so as to be noticed)

reinstall (install again)

retrofit (fit in or on an existing structure, such as an older house)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

They want to set up the doors

Sense 10

Meaning:

Place

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

establish; instal; install; set up

Context example:

Her manager had set her up at the Ritz

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 11

Meaning:

Arrange the outcome of by means of deceit

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

rig; set up

Context example:

rig an election

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

cheat; chisel (engage in deceitful behavior; practice trickery or fraud)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 12

Meaning:

Erect and fasten

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pitch; set up

Context example:

pitch a tent

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

erect; rear (cause to rise up)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

camp; camp down (establish or set up a camp)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Arrange thoughts, ideas, temporal events

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

arrange; order; put; set up

Context example:

I put these memories with those of bygone times

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

organise; organize (cause to be structured or ordered or operating according to some principle or idea)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

contemporise; contemporize; synchronise; synchronize (arrange or represent events so that they co-occur)

phrase (divide, combine, or mark into phrases)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 14

Meaning:

Equip with sails or masts

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

rig; set; set up

Context example:

rig a ship

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

equip; fit; fit out; outfit (provide with (something) usually for a specific purpose)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 15

Meaning:

Make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fix; gear up; prepare; ready; set; set up

Context example:

I was fixing to leave town after I paid the hotel bill

Hypernyms (to "set up" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set up"):

provide (take measures in preparation for)

socialise; socialize (prepare for social life)

brace; poise (prepare (oneself) for something unpleasant or difficult)

crop; cultivate; work (prepare for crops)

prime (insert a primer into (a gun, mine, or charge) preparatory to detonation or firing)

summerise; summerize (prepare for summer)

winterise; winterize (prepare for winter)

mount (fix onto a backing, setting, or support)

fix (kill, preserve, and harden (tissue) in order to prepare for microscopic study)

precondition (put into the required condition beforehand)

cram (prepare (students) hastily for an impending exam)

lay out; set; set up (get ready for a particular purpose or event)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

 Context examples 

The Indians once more set up a feeble wail of fear.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You can set up systems now that work well and keep work moving forward.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

This was just what Tom had reckoned upon; and now he began to set up a great shout, making all the noise he could.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

“My friend Mr. Perry! What are they saying about Mr. Perry? Has he been here this morning? And how does he travel now? Has he set up his carriage?”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But, though this might be imaginary, she could not be deceived as to his behaviour to Miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival to Jane.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

About 700 residents were evacuated to centers set up at the nearby town of Bega and several schools in affected areas were closed on Monday.

(Australian Wildfires Destroy Homes, Kill Cattle as Hundreds of People Flee, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

An outdoor area set up for children's play.

(Playground, NCI Thesaurus)

I'm fifty, mark you; once back from this cruise, I set up gentleman in earnest.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It would have been hard that night, through the whole length of England, to set up a finer pair in face of each other.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Try to stay fit, reduce stress, set up your work area properly, and use the right equipment and gear.

(Occupational Health, NIH)