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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

set off en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip.
    • The train is booked to stop at Jiza for only three minutes, but more often than not twenty minutes or more are spent on shunting before it sets off again on what must be one of the most dreary journeys in the world. 1956 March, R. C. Blaker, “The Hedjaz Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:
    • Considerable excitement was caused on the L.M.S.R. Aberdeen line out of Perth recently when a shunting engine in Perth North goods yard, whose driver and fireman were absent, was accidentally set in motion by a shunter and set off unattended on to the main line. 1941 October, “Notes and News: A Highland Runaway”, in Railway Magazine, page 469:
    • He set off in search of better opportunities.
  2. (idiomatic, transitive) To begin; to cause; to initiate.
    • I had no idea that one simple comment would set off such a huge argument.
  3. (transitive) To cause to begin.
    • When he started giggling, it set us all off too.
  4. (idiomatic, transitive) To cause to explode, let off.
    • Wrex: There are acid tanks rigged up on that thing. Set them off. Millions of my ancestors died to put these things down. Don't let them come back. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Secure Lab, Rift Station, Noveria:
    • What a tragedy, that someone would set off a bomb in a crowded place.
  5. (idiomatic, transitive) To put into an angry mood; to start (a person) ranting or sulking, etc.
    • Don't set him off or he won't shut up all day.
  6. (idiomatic, transitive) To enhance by emphasizing differences.
    • Her plain white dress was set off by a bright red stole.
    • And then one afternoon in the hinder end of April came young Heriotside riding to the Skerburnfoot. His arm was healed, he had got him a fine new suit of green, and his horse was a mettle beast that well set off his figure. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
  7. (idiomatic, transitive) To offset, to compensate for: to reduce the effect of, by having a contrary effect.
    • When a woman had made such a mistake, there was only one way to repair it,—to accept it. One folly was enough, especially it was to last for ever; a second one would not much set it off. 1908, Henry James, chapter XXXIX, in The Portrait of a Lady (The Novels and Tales of Henry James), New York edition, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC; republished as The Portrait of a Lady (EBook #283), United States: Project Gutenberg, 1 September 2001:
    • My taxes did not increase because the amount of my raise was set off by my losses in the stock market.
  8. (historical) To deface or soil the next sheet; said of the ink on a freshly printed sheet, when another sheet comes in contact with it before it has had time to dry.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
sets off Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
setting off Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
set off Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
set off Tense=Past lexicographic

Coordinates

kick off

Relateds

put off · throw off · offset

Synonyms

take wing · 23 skidoo · instigate · affront · make someone see red · piss off · fuel · pull up stakes · develop · cut one's stick · get · ruffle some feathers · take off · engender · get someone's goat · namous · run along · actuate · book · counter · ferment · drive · honk off · rattle someone's cage · create · gall · impel · madden · set forth · antagonize · cheese off · set forth · stoke · goose · awrath · piss off · forge · prompt · set up someone's birse · negate · induce · infuriate · make tracks · offstand · duck out · cross · get out · burn up · generate · incense · put out · invoke · spark off · depart · obligate · detonate · get to · stir up · get away · GTFO · blow up · inflame · oblige · exit · incense · incite · grill · bring forth · push · dash · bugger off · beat it · abet · sling one's hook · take one's leave · cause · make · buzz off · set out · goad · motive · cheer · move on · get one's back up · touch off · gin up · anger · make someone's blood boil · egg on · stir · set off · put out · leave · rub the wrong way · provoke · innate · set off · get someone's Irish up · foment · roil · rile · motivate · promote · get someone's dander up · rankle · put out · ignite · start out · inflame · bug off · evolve · offend · go · nark · excite · spur · set off · egress · part · urge · whip up · produce · quit · start · forthbring · go away · tick off · embitter · take leave · stimulate · sting · put someone's back up · split · chuck · produce · rouse · bounce · evoke · aggravate · steam · bring about · take off · spawn · send · outrage · raise someone's hackles · engender · raise someone's shag · form · provoke · remove · envenom · counteract · make angry · move · draw · spur on · contrive · bring forth · encourage · lash · tempt · go out · whet · light a fire under

Translations (54)

fi suututtaa (To make angry) · de abbrennen (To cause to explode) · no gå av (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · fi aloittaa (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · hu elindul (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · it causare (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · cmn 出發 /出发 (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · fi lähteä matkaan (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · da forløbe (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · fi laukaista (To cause to explode) · cmn 搭配 (To emphasize differences) · fr mettre en colère (To make angry) · cmn 激怒 (To make angry) · hu előidéz (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · cmn 襯托 /衬托 (To emphasize differences) · cmn 引發 /引发 (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · de entfesseln (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · de hervorheben (To emphasize differences) · id memulai (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · ru отправля́ться (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · da gå af (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · de losmachen (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · de losziehen (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · hu feldühít (To make angry) · fi saada aikaan (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · ne यात्रा सुरु गर्नु (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · fi räjäyttää (To cause to explode) · cy taro allan (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · de abgehen (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · de anzünden (To make angry) · fi panna alulle (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · de sich absetzen (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · nl vertrekken (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · es partir (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · hu kivált (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · de absetzen (To emphasize differences) · sv avgå (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · cmn 引爆 (To cause to explode) · de aufbringen (gegen) (To make angry) · es hacer sonar (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · id membuat marah (To make angry) · de in Gang bringen / setzen (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · de zünden (To cause to explode) · it determinare (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · pt irritar (To make angry) · hu felrobbant (To cause to explode) · it innescare (To cause to explode) · hu útnak indul (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · de auslösen (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · hu felbosszant (To make angry) · ru отпра́виться (To leave; begin a journey or trip) · fi johtaa (To begin; to cause; to initiate) · fi korostaa (To emphasize differences) · fi ampua (To cause to explode)