Set Off

Definition: Set Off

Set Off

Verb

1. Actuate; "trigger a reaction".

2. Leave; "The family took off for Florida".

3. Direct attention to, as if by means of contrast; "This dress accentuates your nice figure!" "I set off these words by brackets".

4. Cause to explode; "We exploded the nuclear bomb".

5. Make up for; "His skills offset his opponent's superior strength".

6. Set in motion or cause to begin; "The guide set the tour off to a good start".

7. Provoke or stir up; "incite a riot"; "set off great unrest among the people".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Literature

Publishing & Graphic Arts

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonyms: Set Off

Beauty

Verb: be beautiful; Adjective: shine, beam, bloom; become one; (accord); set off, grace.

Compensation

Verb: make compensation; compensate, compense; indemnify; counteract, countervail, counterpoise; balance; outbalance, overbalance, counterbalance; set off; hedge, square, give and take; make up for, lee way; cover, fill up, neutralize, nullify; equalize; make good; redeem; (atone).

Departure

Verb: depart; go away; take one's departure, set out; set off, march off, put off, start off, be off, move off, get off, whip off, pack off, go off, take oneself off; start, issue, march out, debouch; go forth, sally forth; sally, set forward; be gone; hail from.

Improvement

Touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up; polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage; prune; repair; (restore); put in order; (arrange).

Ostentation

Cry up; (praise); proner, flaunt, emblazon, prink, set off, mount, have framed and glazed.

Velocity

Hurry; (hasten); accelerate, put on; quicken; quicken one's pace, mend one's pace; clap spurs to one's horse; make haste, make rapid strides, make forced marches, make the best of one's way; put one's best leg foremost, stir one's stumps, wing one's way, set off at a score; carry sail, crowd sail; go off like a shot, go like a shot, go ahead, gain ground; outstrip the wind, fly on the wings of the wind.

Violence

Explode; let fly, fly off; discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Crosswords: Set Off

And if I spew, chances are someone else is gonna honk, alright? And if that happens it could set off a peristaltic chain reaction (Saturday Night Live; writing credit: Doug Abeles; Leo Allen)

There are two kinds of people in this world: Those that enter a room and turn the television set on, and those that enter a room and turn the television set off. (The Manchurian Candidate; writing credit: George Axelrod)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• George Carmack: Man of Mystery Who Set Off the Klondike Gold Rush (reference)

  (more book examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

The boats set off towards the trap at Stintino. Credit: Fisheries.

So we all set off. Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

The cessions provided for in the present Article shall entail a credit of which the total amount, settled in a lump sum by the arbitrator or arbitrators, shall not in any case exceed the value of the capital expended in the initial establishment of the material ceded, and shall be set off against the total sums due from Germany, in consequence, the indemnification of the proprietors shall be a matter for Germany to deal with. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

This sounded nonsense to Alice, so she said nothing, but set off at once towards the Red Queen

He turned away from her suddenly and set off across the strand

Muley set off across the fields, and Joad and Casy followed him.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

Colds, allergies, sinus problems, and the flu can also set off episodes in some people. (references)

Fatigue, glaring or flickering lights, changes in the weather, and certain foods can set off migraine. (references)

This kind of oxygen molecule can set off a chain reaction that can harm neurons, perhaps playing a role in Alzheimer's disease. (references)

Economic History

China

Mao's death in September 1976 removed a towering figure from Chinese politics and set off a scramble for succession. (references)

Togo

They inflicted significant casualties, however, which set off lethal reprisals by the military against soldiers thought to be associated with the attackers. (references)

Vietnam

Carrying Forward Losses: All foreign-invested businesses and foreign parties to BCC's are allowed to carry forward losses to set off against profits in the ensuing five years (for tax purposes). (references)

Human Rights

Mexico

The press reported that on November 26-27, prisoners in the Villas Crisol youth detention center in Berriozabal, Chiapas threw stones and set off homemade bombs. (references)

Mexico

In August 2000, between 30 and 300 members of the "Peace and Justice" armed civilian group fired their weapons in the air, set off fragmentation grenades, and burned at least 6 houses to evict 90 EZLN sympathizers from Paraiso, Yajalon municipality, Chiapas. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Expressions using "set off": set off against ♦ set off in pursuit of ♦ set off loighing ♦ set off on a journey ♦ set off running ♦ set off to advantage ♦ To set off ♦ To set off against. Additional references.

Albanian

shënoj (aim, arrow, book, calendar, catalogue, chalk, charge, commit to paper, denote, earmark, indicate, itemize, jot down, kick, Mark, note, note down, pencil, post, punch, put down, record, remark, score, scribe, sink, tally, tick off, write down), zbukurim (adornment, beautifying, decoration, embellishment, embroidery, enrichment, fallal, festoon, finery, flower, garnish, garniture, glorification, inlay, marquetry, onlay, ornament, ornamentation, rosace, titivation), kontrast (contraposition, contrast, disparity, foil, opposition), dërgoj (cable, consign, delegate, deliver, despatch, detach, direct, dispatch, refer, relegate, send, send off, set forth, transmit). (various references)

Arabic 

‏فجر (aurora, beginning, blast, blow up, burst, dawn, detonate, dynamite, explode, let flow, morning, shot out, spout, spurt, undermine), ‏وازن (balance, balancing, collate, compare, counterbalance, counterpoise, counterweight, equate, equilibrate, equipoise, even, offset, poise, square, stabilize, strike a balance), ‏سافر (barefaced, cover, cruise, fare, fly, go, hike, journey, leave, pack, ride, tour, travel, voyage), ‏عادل (amount, compensate, counteract, countervail, equal, equitable, even, even-minded, fair, impartial, just, neutralize, noble-descent, offset, reasonable, right, rightful, unbiased), ‏ضحك (chortle, comicality, giggle, laugh, laugh off, laughter, move, raise, rib, scream, tickle), ‏جهز (accommodate, activate, appoint, device, equip, equip with, fit, fit out, furnish, gear, get ready, outfit, pack up, prepare, provide, set smb. up in smth., stand by, think out), ‏بكى (bring out, cry, fret, greet, sob, weep, whine), ‏بدأ رحلة (set out). (various references)

Bulgarian 

офсет (offset), изстрелвам (loose, project, shoot, shoot away, shoot off, throw, touch off, volley, wing), подчертавам (accent, accentuate, emphasize, enhance, highlight, insist, play up, point, point out, press, score under, set out, underline, underscore), потеглям (drive off, pull off, set forth, start, start off), причинявам (bring, bring about, bring forth, cause, create, do, effect, engender, generate, induce, inflict, make, procure, produce, putrefy, set up, throw down, work, work up), противовес (balance, counterbalance, counterweight), задвижвам (actuate, roll), насрещен иск (counterclaim), издатина (burr, horn, hump, jut, ledge, process, projection, prominence, promontory, protrusion, protuberance, salient, shelf, swell, tuber), отпътувам (depart, drive away, leave, set forth, set forward, set out), украса (adornment, decking, decoration, dressing, embellishment, embroidery, flower, fretwork, gilding, ornament, trappings), възпламенявам (detonate, enkindle, fulminate, ignite, touch off), карам (auto, cart, cause, drive, get along, have, impel, keep, lead, make, move, oar, occasion, pilot, propel, render, roll along, run, sail, serve, set, start, urge on, wheel), компенсирам (atone, compensate, countervail, indemnify, make amends, make good, make restitution, offset, recoup, redeem, redress, repair, reward), компенсация (amends, atonement, compensation, indemnification, indemnity, offset, pay, recompense, recoupment, reprisal, requital, restitution), контраст (antithesis, contradistinction, contraposition, contrast, counterpoint, foil, offset), тръгвам (depart, drive off, get along, get going, get off, leave, pull away, pull off, put, put forth, sally, set forth, set on, set out, shove off, start, wend, wend one's way), разпалвам (inflame, kindle, touch off, warm up, whip up, wind up), украшение (adornment, bibelot, decoration, fallal, figuration, garnish, garniture, knick knack, ornament, ornamentation, trimming), отделям (abstract, cull, detach, discharge, disestablish, disjoin, dissever, disunite, educe, eject, eliminate, emit, estrange, evolve, excrete, exhale, extricate, exude, insulate, isolate, lay aside, part, prescind, pry, screen, seclude, secrete, segregate, separate, sequester, set apart, sever, sort, spare, tear away, unfix, unjoin, unyoke). (various references)

Chinese 

燃�"� (light). (various references)

Czech

vyrazit na cestu (hit the road), vyrazit (batter, break down, get off, imprint, set out, smash down, smash in, spurt, stamp out, start, storm), protiva (beast, blighter, horror, nark, nasty, nuisance, pig, pill, reverse). (various references)

Danish

smitte af (smear, spot, stain), set off (offsetting), makulere (mackle, pulp, shake, slur, smear, soil, spoil, spot, stain). (various references)

Dutch

smetten (soil, spot, stain), vlekken (soil, spot, stain), overzetten (translate). (various references)

Finnish

tehostaa (heighten, highlight, intensify, render more effective, serve as a foil to, tighten up), tahriminen (offsetting), lähteä taipaleelle (set out). (various references)

French

se mettre en route (set out, set sail), s'ébranler, renforcer, réparer, maculer, maculage, faire exploser (set), declencher, déclencher, balancer. (various references)

German

starten (blast off, commence, get under way, initate, launch, launch forth, launch out, power up, race, run, start, starts, take off, take-off, to launch), sich auf den weg machen (push along), zünden (burn, catch, catch fire, catch light, detonate, fire, firing, flash on, ignite, kindle, kindle enthusiasm, let off, light, set alight, strike, take fire, to ignite), vernichten (abrogate, annihilate, blast, blight, consume, crush, damn, defeat, destroy, do away with, exterminate, kill, kill off, obliterate, put down, quash, to annihilate, to blast, to crush, to defeat, to demolish, to destroy, to kill, undo), verderben (abase, addle, adulterate, bane, banes, barbarize, become corrupted, become depraved, become ruined, become spoiled, blight, break down, bribe, contaminate, corrupt, damage, debauch, deprave, destroy, disaster, doom, go bad, go off, going off, infect, injure, kill, Mar, molder, perdition, perditions, pervert, pollute, pollution, put off, ruin, ruination, ruining, spoil, spoiling, spoilt, taint, to barbarize, to debauch, to deprave, to spoil, to taint, undoing, vitiate, vitiation, wreck), makulieren (smear, spot, stain), losgehen lassen, losgehen (charge, come off, go at, go off, go up, lay into, make for, start, start in, start off, to go off), führen zu (induce, invite, lead, lead out, lead up, make for), einleiten (inaugurate, induce, initiate, institute, introduce, open, precede, preface, prelude, start, to instruct), auslösen (arouse, bring forth, bring on, draw, initate, initiate, operate, pod, produce, ransom, redeem, release, set up, spark, spring, take out, to actuate, touch off, trigger, trigger off, unleash), aufbrechen (break, break down, break into, break open, break up, burst open, decamp, force, force open, open, prize off, pry, sally, set out, start, start off, start out, to decamp, to sally), Abliegen (be far off). (various references)

Greek 

ξεκινώ (get off, initiate, instigate, make a start, move off, push off, set forth, set out, start, take in). (various references)

Hebrew 

לפתוח ב- (launch, turn on), לעמת (compare, confront, parallel), לצאת ל�"רך (depart, set out, start off, start out), קזוז (compensation, offset, writing off), עמות (confrontation, parallelization). (various references)

Hungarian

elsüt (let off, to fire, to let fly, to let off, to poop, to trigger sg off, to work off), ellentét (antagonism, antitheses, antithesis, clash, contradistinction, contrary, contrast, disaccord, disagreement, foil, offset, reverse, variance), ellensúlyoz (compensate, countervail, counterweigh, equiponderate, offset, to correct, to counteract, to equilibrate, to offset, to set off), elindít (initiate, launch, start, to actuate, to despatch, to hop, to initiate, to launch, to set in motion, to set sg afloat, to set sg on feet, to set up). (various references)

Italian

sporcare (dirty, get dirty, make, soil, stain, sully), scatenare (break out, rouse, run wild, stir up), sbavare (dribble, dribble down, dribble over, drivel, drool, smear, smudge), partire (absent, absent onself, depart, go, go away, leave, leaving, pull away, run, start, start off, start out, steam away, take off, troop away, troop off), far risaltare (foil). (various references)

Manx

jesheenit (decorated, got up), jesheenagh (cosmetic, decorative, dressy, ornamental, ornate, showy). (various references)

Pig Latin

etsay offay.(various references)

Portuguese

zarpar (run away, set sail, shove off), realçar (accent, accentuate, contrast, emboss, emphasize, enhance, feature, focus, foil, point, show, show off, show up, underline, urge), manchagem (offsetting), macular (blot, defile, maculate, profane, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully), iniciar (begin, commence, handsel, induct, initiate, introduce, launch, lead off, open, originate, set to, start, strike up), começar (begin, come on, commence, get around, go, kick off, lead off, open, originate, set in, set to, start, strike up, tee off), "set off" (offsetting). (various references)

Romanian

se porni (begin, move, set out, start off, start out), se întinde (elongate, extend, lie down, make, range, reach, recline, recoil, run, spindle, sprawl, spread, stretch, sweep), scoate în evidenţã (represent, show off), porni la drum (make a start, set forth, set out), podoabã (adornment, caparison, garnish, livery, ornament, rep, setting off), lansa (circulate, dash, deliver, deploy, discharge, drop, fling, float, hurl, initiate, launch, plug, project, release, send, shoot, start, throw), despãgubire (amends, compensation, consideration, indemnification, indemnity, recoupment, redress, reimbursement, remedy, remuneration, reparation, restitution, retrieval, satisfaction, vindictive damages), compensaţie (amends, compensation, damage, drawback, indemnification, indemnity, offset, quittance, redress, remedy, requital, restitution, retrieval), începe (begin, commence, develop, enter upon, go into the army, go on, initiate, it starts, lead off, lead out, open, preface, set, set forth, start). (various references)

Russian 

украшение (adorner, adornment, beautification, decoration, embellishment, fallal, fal-lal, garnish, knick knack, molding, moulding, ornament, ornamentation, prettification, trim), украшать (adorn, beautify, bedeck, deck, decorate, decorating, embellish, garnish, gild, ornament, prettify), контраст (contrast, foil, setoff), запускать (launch). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

svež otisak, suprotnost (antithesis, contrary, contrast, converse, obverse, opposite, opposition, reverse), protivzahtev, protivteža (counterbalance, counterpoise, counterweight, offset), odvojiti (break off, detach, disconnect, divide, ease off, mark out, segregate, separate, sever, sort, spare, uncouple), odeliti (dissever, fence, isolate, separate), krenuti (get off, head, move, road up, set out, start, start off), istaći (accentuate, distinguish, feature, headline, highlight, point up, post, take, underlain), aktivirati (activate, spring, trigger, trip). (various references)

Spanish

volar en (blast, explode, fly at, lap, lob), ponerse en camino (set out), partir (abandon, break, call away, chapter, chop, cleave, come off, crack, cut, depart, district, divide, dole out, drive away, drive off, fly off, go, go alone, go away, leaving, set out, share, split, split up, start off, start out, tear, tear up, throw over, walk away), manchar (bedaub, befoul, besmirch, blemish, blot, blotch, blur, dapple, daub, defile, dirty, foul, maculate, Mark, smear, smudge, soil, spot, stain, sully, taint, tarnish), manchado (dirties, dirty, smudges, smudgy, soiled, splotchy, spotted, spotty, stained, tarnished), macular (smear, spot, stain), maculado (offsetting), hacer resaltar (bring out, pick out, project, show off, show up), hacer (accomplish, achieve, act, administer, advance, ask, be, bestow, bind, bring, bring in, build, carry out, cause, come, commit, compose, compound, create, cut, cut out, do, draw, drive, drop, effect, emit, enter into, enter up, fabricate, force, form, generate, get, get out, give, go at, hole, keep, knock out, lay, lean, level, light, live, live through, lumber, lure on, make, make into, make up, making, observe, offer, pack, pass, pay, perform, perpetrate, place, poke, prosecute, pull, punch, put, put forward, put out, put up, render, tackle, take, take on, think up, throw, throw in, throw out, throw up, tie, to do, to make, to make into, travel, turn out, wet, work, work out), explotar (bang, blast, blow up, develop, draw on, draw upon, explode, exploit, go off, go pop, go up, harness, make capital out of, mine, operate, run, sweat, tap, touch off, utilize, work), dar ímpetu a, contraponer, compensar (balance, compensate, countervail, make good, make up for, offset, pay, requite), adornar (adorn, array, bedeck, decorate, doll up, embellish, embroider, festoon, garnish, garnishee, grace, hang, lard, ornament, set out, titivate, trap, trim). (various references)

Swedish

starta (begin, float, go, initiate, launch, lift off, originate, start), motvikt (counterbalance, counterpoise, counterweight, equipoise, off-set), motanspråk, kontrast (antithesis, contrast, foil, opposition), ge sig i väg (make away, make off, push along, put, quit, scram, strike out), framhäva (bring out, exaggerate, feature, hold up, urge), balansera (balance, equipoise, poise), avsättning (appropriation, circulation, dethronement, ejection, outlet, removal, sale), avsätta (assign, depose, deposite, dethrone, dismiss, displace, eject, remove, sell, set aside, unfrock, unseat), avresa (depart, departure, leave, leave taking, leaving), avfyra (discharge, fire off, launch). (various references)

Turkish

yola çıkmak (be off, depart, fare, get under weigh, leave, set forth, set out, start, start off, take off, take the road), patlatmak (blast, blow up, bust, detonate, explode, let off, make blow up, make burst, make explode, pop, puncture, touch off), patlak verdirmek, karşı dava açmak (counterclaim), kalkışmak (assay, attempt, dare, embark, engage in, essay, have a stab at), hesaba katmak (allow, bargain for, consider, count, figure on, make allowance for, reckon among, reckon in, reckon with, regard, take account of, take into account), girişmek (address oneself to, approach, attack, begin, buckle down to, buckle oneself to, embark, embark upon, enter into, enter on, enter upon, fall to, fling, have a bash, interfere, jut into, kick off, knuckle down to, launch, launch out, pitch into, proceed, set about, set one's hand to, set oneself to do smth., set out, set to, start in, start out, tackle, take a step, take the initiative, throw oneself into, undertake, venture on, venture upon, wade in, wade into), güzel göstermek, belirginleştirmek (concretize, crystallize, relieve, signalize), başlatmak (begin, commence, get going, give a start, induct, initiate, institute, launch, lead away, lead off, open, open the ball, start, stir up, trigger), ayrı tutmak (discriminate, individualize, insulate, isolate, make a distinction, segregate, sequester, set apart, take aside), ayrı koymak, ateşlemek (discharge, fire, ignite, let fly, let off, loose, loose off, pop, spark, touch off), çaldırmak. (various references)

Turkmen 

ugramak (direct, embark). (various references)

Ukrainian

спонукати (abet, actuate, cause, excite, impel, impulse, induce, motivate, motive, prick, prod, prompt, provoke, push on, rouse, spur, urge), контраст (antiperistasis, antithesis, contrast, foil, oppositeness, opposition), компенсація (amends, atonement, balancing, compensation, consideration, offset, quits, recompense, recoupment, reinforcement, remuneration, reparation, requital), вирушати (be off, depart, leave, march off, march out, pull off, put off, sally forth, set forth, set out, start, trudge, wend), запускати (launch), прикраса (adornment, apparel, attire, beauty, bijou, decking, decoration, embellishment, embroidery, fallal, garnish, garniture, Nick nack, ornament, outset, pretty, quip), починати (begin, break, commence, embark, enter into, enter on, enter upon, initiate, institute, launch, lead off, open, prelude, quicken, start, strike up, tee off, tee up, undertake). (various references)

adornatus. (various references)

Misspellings

"Set Off" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: sut off. (additional references)

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Direct Anagrams: offset, setoff.

-1 letter: teffs, toffs.

-2 letters: effs, efts, fets, foes, offs, soft, teff, toes, toff.

-3 letters: eff, efs, eft, fet, foe, oes, off, oft, ose, set, sot, toe.

-4 letters: ef, es, et, oe, of, os, so, to.

+1 letter: efforts, offsets, setoffs, toffees, toffies.

+2 letters: afforest, coffrets, forfeits, offbeats, offstage, takeoffs, troffers.

+3 letters: afforests, coeffects, effectors, etouffees, fortifies, moffettes, offstages, overstaff, overstuff, suffocate, tradeoffs, writeoffs.

+4 letters: affections, afforested, coffeepots, effortless, feoffments, forefronts, forfeiters, fortifiers, officiates, offsetting, overstaffs, overstuffs, reafforest, suffocated, suffocates, tuffaceous.

+5 letters: afforesting, forefathers, forfeitures, offertories, overstaffed, overstuffed, reafforests, refortifies, suffocative.