set-to

1 of 2

noun

plural set-tos
: a usually brief and vigorous fight or debate

set to

2 of 2

verb

set to; setting to; sets to

intransitive verb

1
: to begin actively and earnestly
2
: to begin fighting

Examples of set-to in a Sentence

Noun they had a brief set-to about money, but they seem to have resolved it
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Into this unholy mess blunders Juan (Juan Amador), bearing the gushing stigmata of a violent set-to in a Sacramento bar. Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023 His truest, ugliest self tends to emerge in his increasingly frequent set-tos with Linda, whose impatience with his documentary persona gradually wears through even her considerable acting ability. Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Sep. 2023
Verb
Pope Francis is set to deliver a keynote speech about artificial intelligence on the second day of the conference. Fox News, 13 June 2024 Akiva Goldsman, one of the co-writers of the original film’s script, is set to pen the screenplay this time around, while it’s expected that the two leading ladies will sign on as producers, too. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 12 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for set-to 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'set-to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1743, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of set-to was circa 1525

Dictionary Entries Near set-to

Cite this Entry

“Set-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/set-to. Accessed 20 Jun. 2024.

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