set

set — 動詞

1. to carefully lay or stand an object somewhere — for example, putting a vase on a

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

放置；擺放

小心地把物品放在某處

to carefully lay or stand an object somewhere — for example, putting a vase on a shelf or a tray of cookies on the kitchen table.

例句

Beatriz set the heavy suitcase down on the wooden floor.

Beatriz 把那個沉重的行李箱放在木地板上。

set + object + down + on [surface]

The waiter set two glasses of red wine in front of us.

服務生把兩杯紅酒擺在我們面前。

set + object + in front of [person]

同義詞
  • place

    very close in meaning; slightly more formal.

  • put

    more general and casual; works without the careful-handling feel.

  • lay

    for putting something into a horizontal position.

反義詞
  • lift

    to raise something up rather than put it down.

  • remove

    to take away from a place rather than place it there.

文法句型

set + object + adv/prep of place

用法筆記

Almost always followed by an adverb or preposition that names the destination — 'set the box' alone sounds incomplete. More careful and deliberate than 'put'.

常見錯誤

❌I set my bag.
✅I set my bag on the chair.
💡'set' needs a place phrase to feel complete.
❌He set down on the bed.
✅He sat down on the bed.
💡'set' needs an object; 'sit/sat' is for the person doing the action.

2. to choose where and when the events of a novel, film, or play happen — used in t

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

以…為背景

故事或影片設定的時空

to choose where and when the events of a novel, film, or play happen — used in the passive to describe a story whose backdrop is a particular era or location, like 1920s Paris or a small island.

例句

The novel is set in a small village in northern Japan during the 1950s.

這部小說以日本北部一個小村莊為背景，故事發生在一九五○年代。

passive: be set in [place] during [time]

Roya watched a film set in ancient Egypt for her history class.

Roya 為了歷史課看了一部以古埃及為背景的電影。

set in [historical period]

同義詞
  • take place

    describes the events themselves; 'be set' describes the author's choice of backdrop.

  • locate

    more formal; less common for fiction.

文法句型

be set in [time/place]

用法筆記

Most often passive ('is set in...'). The subject is the work of fiction (book, film, play, episode); the object of 'in' names the place, time, or period.

常見錯誤

❌The movie sets in Paris.
✅The movie is set in Paris.
💡this sense is almost always passive.

3. to make a person or thing enter a particular state, such as making prisoners fre

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

使處於某狀態

讓人或事物進入特定狀態

to make a person or thing enter a particular state, such as making prisoners free, making a building on fire, or making someone at ease.

例句

The kind words from Eve set her mind at ease before the surgery.

Eve 那些溫柔的話讓她在手術前心情放鬆了下來。

set + object + at ease

After ten years in prison, the judge finally set Rachid free.

在牢裡待了十年後，法官終於釋放了 Rachid。

set + somebody + free

同義詞
  • make

    much more general; 'set free' is fixed but 'make free' is wrong.

  • render

    formal; 'render someone speechless' is similar to 'set someone at ease'.

反義詞
  • leave

    to not change the state of someone or something.

文法句型

set + object + adjective

set + object + free/loose/right

用法筆記

The complement is usually a short adjective (free, loose, right, ablaze) or an -ing form. Distinguish from sense 4: sense 3 names a state ('free', 'right'); sense 4 names an action ('working', 'thinking').

常見錯誤

❌The news set me to be worried.
✅The news set me worrying.
💡use the -ing form, not 'to be'.

4. to make a person or thing begin doing an activity — for instance, making a class

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

使開始；引發

讓人或物開始某活動

to make a person or thing begin doing an activity — for instance, making a class start writing, or making a clock begin ticking again after a repair.

例句

Ravindra's strange question set the whole class thinking for half an hour.

Ravindra 那個怪問題讓全班思考了半個小時。

set + object + thinking (-ing form)

The teacher set us writing essays about our favourite childhood meal.

老師讓我們開始寫關於童年最愛餐點的作文。

set + somebody + -ing

同義詞
  • get

    more casual: 'got the class thinking' is a friendlier register.

  • trigger

    for sudden, often unwanted, starts.

反義詞
  • stop

    to make an action end, not begin.

文法句型

set + object + -ing

set + somebody + to + verb

用法筆記

Use the -ing form for the started action ('set them laughing'), not the bare infinitive. Distinguish from sense 3: here the focus is on starting an activity that continues; sense 3 describes entering a state.

常見錯誤

❌The news set me cry.
✅The news set me crying.
💡use the -ing form, not the base verb.

5. to give a person a job, task, or duty that they have to do — for example, asking

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

指派；交付

把工作或任務交給某人

to give a person a job, task, or duty that they have to do — for example, asking a colleague to write a report or giving a child the chore of clearing the table.

例句

Quan set his interns the task of writing a short market summary.

Quan 交給實習生一項任務，要他們寫一份簡短的市場摘要。

set + somebody + the task of + -ing

The new manager set us a tough deadline for the year-end report.

新主管給我們訂下一個年終報告的嚴峻截止日期。

set + somebody + a deadline

同義詞
  • assign

    more formal; common in workplaces and schools worldwide.

  • give

    the most general verb; works in both British and American English.

反義詞
  • excuse

    to free someone from a duty rather than give one.

文法句型

set + somebody + a task/job

用法筆記

More common in British than American English; American speakers often say 'give someone a task' instead. Distinguish from sense 16 (verb_b3, GIVE WORK), which is specifically about classroom homework.

常見錯誤

❌The boss set a task to me.
✅The boss set me a task.
💡use the two-object pattern: person before thing.

6. to officially decide a level, rule, target, or example that other people will th

6.動詞及物B2
釋義

訂定；創下

為紀錄、規則或目標設定標準

to officially decide a level, rule, target, or example that other people will then aim for, follow, or be measured against.

例句

Lucía set a new world record in the women's 400-metre freestyle.

Lucía 在女子四百公尺自由式項目創下新的世界紀錄。

set + a (new) record

The committee set strict rules for entering the photography contest.

委員會為攝影比賽訂下了嚴格的規則。

set + rules/limits

同義詞
  • establish

    more formal; suggests something lasting like a tradition or rule.

  • fix

    stresses that the level cannot easily change.

  • determine

    more formal; common with prices and quantities.

反義詞
  • break

    to beat a record rather than create one.

文法句型

set + a record/standard/example/goal/limit

用法筆記

Object is almost always something that defines a measure: record, standard, goal, target, limit, rule, example, price, deadline. Often paired with 'at' to give the exact value ('set the price at $20').

常見錯誤

❌She set the record on swimming.
✅She set a record in swimming.
💡use 'in' for the field/sport, and a/the depending on whether the record is new.
❌The shop set the price for ten dollars.
✅The shop set the price at ten dollars.
💡use 'at' for the exact level.

7. to adjust a machine, clock, or tool to the right number, time, or position so th

7.動詞及物B2
釋義

設定；調好

把機器或工具調到要用的狀態

to adjust a machine, clock, or tool to the right number, time, or position so that it will work or do what you want — for example, choosing 7 a.m. on an alarm clock, or turning an oven dial to 180 degrees.

例句

Gita set her alarm for five thirty so she could catch the early train to Kyoto.

Gita 把鬧鐘設定在五點半，這樣才趕得上往京都的早班火車。

set + [device] + for + [time]

Henrik set the oven to 180 degrees before sliding in the tray of cookies.

Henrik 把烤箱調到 180 度，才把那盤餅乾推進去。

set + [device] + to + [number]

同義詞
  • adjust

    more general; can mean any small change, not only preparing for use

  • program

    for digital devices that follow stored instructions, such as a thermostat or recorder

  • lay

    only for tables — 'lay the table' is the British equivalent of 'set the table'

文法句型

set + object + to-infinitive

set + object + for + noun

用法筆記

Object is usually a machine, timer, dial, or table laid for a meal. The fixed phrase 'set the table' means to arrange plates and cutlery; it does not fit the other senses of this verb.

常見錯誤

❌I set my alarm clock at 7.
✅I set my alarm clock for 7.
💡use 'for' before the time the alarm should ring.
❌She set the oven on 200 degrees.
✅She set the oven to 200 degrees.
💡use 'to' for the chosen number on a dial.

8. to arrange furniture, lights, and other objects on a stage or film location so t

8.動詞及物
釋義

佈置場景

為演出或拍攝佈置舞台場景

to arrange furniture, lights, and other objects on a stage or film location so that they show the place and period where the story is supposed to happen.

例句

Crew members set the stage with old wooden chairs and oil lamps to suggest a Victorian parlour.

工作人員用舊木椅和油燈佈置舞台，營造維多利亞時代客廳的感覺。

set + the stage + with + [props]

Élise spent the afternoon setting the scene for the next morning's shoot in the cathedral.

Élise 整個下午都在為隔天清晨在大教堂的拍攝佈置場景。

set + the scene (collocation)

同義詞
  • dress

    industry term: 'dress the set' — to add the smaller decorative items after the main pieces are in place

  • stage

    as a verb, to organise the whole performance, not only its physical objects

反義詞
  • strike

    industry term: 'strike the set' — to take everything down after a show ends

文法句型

set + [stage / scene]

set + object + with + noun

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 7 (preparing a machine): here the object is always a stage, set, or scene, and the goal is to create a believable place and time for performers or cameras.

9. to choose and announce something definite — most often a date, time, price, limi

9.動詞及物B1
釋義

訂下；定為

決定並公布日期、價格或標準

to choose and announce something definite — most often a date, time, price, limit, or target — so that it is fixed and other people can plan around it.

例句

The committee set the wedding date for the second Saturday in June.

委員會把婚禮日期訂在六月的第二個星期六。

set + [date] + for + [day]

Olivia set a strict deadline of Friday at noon for the final report.

Olivia 訂下嚴格的截止時間：星期五中午前要交出最後報告。

set + [deadline / limit]

同義詞
  • fix

    very close in meaning, slightly more informal in British English

  • establish

    more formal; suggests a longer-lasting rule rather than a single appointment

  • schedule

    specifically about putting something on a calendar at a chosen time

文法句型

set + [date / price / limit / target]

set + object + at + amount

用法筆記

Object is typically an abstract numerical value: a date, price, deadline, limit, target, or rule. Often used in the passive: 'the date has been set'.

常見錯誤

❌They set the meeting on Monday.
✅They set the meeting for Monday.
💡use 'for' before the chosen day.

10. to fasten a precious stone such as a diamond or ruby firmly into the metal of a

10.動詞及物
釋義

鑲嵌

把寶石牢牢嵌進首飾中

to fasten a precious stone such as a diamond or ruby firmly into the metal of a ring, necklace, or other piece of jewellery, so that it cannot fall out.

例句

The jeweller set the small green emerald into a thin band of yellow gold.

珠寶師把那顆綠色小祖母綠鑲進一條細細的黃金戒環。

set + [stone] + into + [jewellery]

Soraya's wedding ring is set with three tiny diamonds in a row.

Soraya 的結婚戒指上鑲著三顆排成一列的小鑽石。

passive: [jewellery] + be set with + [stones]

同義詞
  • mount

    very close in this sense; both verbs are normal jewellery-trade words

  • embed

    more general; describes pushing any small object into a surrounding material, not only stones in metal

文法句型

set + [stone] + in/into + [jewellery]

[jewellery] + be set with + [stone]

用法筆記

Frequently passive: '[jewellery] is set with [stones]' or '[stone] is set in [jewellery]'. Subject of the active form is usually a jeweller or goldsmith.

11. when a medic treats a fracture by pushing the two ends of the bone back into the

11.動詞及物
釋義

接骨；復位

醫師把斷骨推回原位以便癒合

when a medic treats a fracture by pushing the two ends of the bone back into the correct alignment and holding them still, so that the body can rebuild a single solid bone instead of two pieces.

例句

The doctor set Yara's broken wrist and then wrapped it in a thick white plaster cast.

醫生把 Yara 斷掉的手腕接好，然後用厚厚的白色石膏包起來。

set + [broken body part]

An emergency-room surgeon carefully set the boy's leg before sending him for an X-ray.

急診室的外科醫師仔細幫那個男孩把腿接好，才送他去照 X 光。

同義詞
  • reset

    implies the bone has moved out of place again and must be aligned a second time

  • realign

    more formal medical term; describes returning any body part to its proper position

文法句型

set + [broken bone]

用法筆記

Subject is almost always a doctor, surgeon, or medic; object is the broken bone or the body part containing it. Distinguish from sense 12, which is intransitive and describes the bone healing on its own.

12. of a fracture: to fuse and become whole again as the two ends grow back together

12.動詞不及物
釋義

癒合；長合

斷骨自行接合長回原狀

of a fracture: to fuse and become whole again as the two ends grow back together inside the body, often staying in whatever shape the bone has been left in.

例句

The doctor warned that without a cast, the bone might set in a crooked position.

醫生警告，如果不打石膏，那塊骨頭可能會以歪掉的姿勢長合。

[bone] + set + in + [position]

Christopher's broken finger set quickly because he kept it completely still for six weeks.

Christopher 的斷指癒合得很快，因為他六週都讓它完全不動。

同義詞
  • heal

    much more general; can refer to any kind of recovery, including skin and muscle

  • knit

    literary; describes broken edges joining together, especially of bone

文法句型

[bone] + set

用法筆記

Intransitive — the bone itself is the subject; there is no 'doer' in the sentence. Distinguish from sense 11, where a doctor is the subject and the bone is the object.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor set the bone for two months.
✅The bone set over two months.
💡when the action is the natural healing, the bone is the subject, not the doctor.

13. to shape damp hair using rollers, clips, or pins, then leave it to dry so the st

13.動詞及物C1
釋義

做頭髮

用捲子或夾子將濕髮定型

to shape damp hair using rollers, clips, or pins, then leave it to dry so the strands hold the chosen curl or wave.

例句

Manuela went to the salon to have her hair set for her sister's wedding.

Manuela 為了參加姐姐的婚禮，特地去美容院做頭髮。

passive: have one's hair set

The stylist set Wren's hair in soft waves using heated rollers.

造型師用熱捲將 Wren 的頭髮做成柔和的波浪。

set + hair + in [style]

同義詞
  • style

    broader; covers cutting, drying, or arranging by any method

  • curl

    narrower; specifically creating curls

文法句型

have one's hair set

用法筆記

Almost always used in salon or hair-styling contexts. Frequently appears in the passive 'have your hair set' rather than as an active subject. Distinguish from sense 14 (tighten part of body) — this sense always takes 'hair' as its object.

常見錯誤

❌She set her hair quickly with a brush.
✅She combed her hair quickly with a brush.
💡'set' implies shaping wet hair with rollers or pins, not casual brushing.

14. to hold the muscles of your jaw, mouth, or face stiff so that your expression sh

14.動詞及物C1
釋義

繃緊；抿緊

繃緊臉部或下顎肌肉以表決心

to hold the muscles of your jaw, mouth, or face stiff so that your expression shows you are firmly decided and will not back down.

例句

Arjun set his jaw and walked into the manager's office to demand a refund.

Arjun 咬緊牙關，走進經理辦公室要求退款。

set + jaw to show determination

Mayumi set her mouth in a thin line and refused to answer any more questions.

Mayumi 抿緊雙唇，拒絕再回答任何問題。

set + mouth + in [shape]

同義詞
  • clench

    narrower; usually used with jaw or fist, suggesting tighter grip

  • harden

    stronger; suggests the expression turns cold or angry

反義詞
  • relax

    loosen the muscles, opposite stance

文法句型

set + body part (jaw, face, mouth, shoulders)

用法筆記

Object is restricted to a small set of body parts that can show resolve: jaw, mouth, lips, face, chin, shoulders. Often appears in the passive ('her face was set'). Distinguish from sense 13 — this sense is about muscle tension showing emotion, not hair styling.

常見錯誤

❌He set his eyes when he heard the bad news.
✅He set his jaw when he heard the bad news.
💡'eyes' don't collocate with this sense; use jaw, mouth, lips, or face.

15. (of glue, jelly, concrete, or a similar runny mixture) to change from a soft or

15.動詞不及物B2
釋義

凝固；變硬

液體或軟物變成固體或硬塊

(of glue, jelly, concrete, or a similar runny mixture) to change from a soft or liquid state into a firm or solid one as it cools, dries, or reacts chemically.

例句

Leave the jelly in the fridge for at least four hours so it has time to set.

果凍要在冰箱裡放至少四個小時才能凝固。

intransitive: subject is the substance

The concrete around the new fence post should set overnight if it doesn't rain.

新籬笆柱旁邊的水泥若不下雨，一夜就會凝固。

同義詞
  • harden

    general; covers any change from soft to firm

  • solidify

    more formal or scientific

  • congeal

    specifically of liquids becoming jelly-like, often unappetising

反義詞
  • melt

    change from solid back to liquid

  • soften

    become less firm

文法句型

[liquid/mixture] sets

用法筆記

Subject must be a liquid or soft material — glue, cement, jelly, jam, plaster, resin, custard. Intransitive: the substance does the setting itself; you don't 'set' it actively in this sense (use 'let it set' or 'wait for it to set' instead).

常見錯誤

❌I will set the glue overnight.
✅I will let the glue set overnight.
💡the substance sets itself; the speaker waits, they don't perform the action.

16. (of a teacher) to tell students which homework, essay, or exam questions they ha

16.動詞及物B2
釋義

出（功課）

老師指派學生作業或考題

(of a teacher) to tell students which homework, essay, or exam questions they have to complete, usually with a deadline.

例句

Mr Brandon set the class twenty maths problems for Monday morning.

Brandon 老師出了二十題數學給班上週一交。

set + somebody + [homework]

Our history teacher sets us an essay every two weeks on a different topic.

我們的歷史老師每兩週出一篇主題不同的小論文給我們寫。

set + us + [piece of work]

同義詞
  • assign

    more neutral; common in American English

  • give

    informal; works in any variety

文法句型

set + somebody + homework/an essay/a test

用法筆記

Mainly British English; American teachers usually 'give' or 'assign' homework. The subject is normally a teacher, professor, or exam board, and the indirect object is the student or class.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher set us to do homework.
✅The teacher set us homework.
💡'set' takes two noun objects directly, not a 'to'-infinitive.

17. to hand a particular job, challenge, or performance target to a person or group,

17.動詞及物B2
釋義

指派；交付

把任務或目標交給某人完成

to hand a particular job, challenge, or performance target to a person or group, with the expectation that they will carry it out or reach it.

例句

The coach set Ryan a target of running ten kilometres before the end of the month.

教練給 Ryan 訂下月底前要跑十公里的目標。

set + somebody + a target

The new boss set the team three challenging goals for the next quarter.

新主管為團隊訂出下一季三個有挑戰性的目標。

set + team + goals

同義詞
  • assign

    neutral, common in workplace contexts

  • give

    less specific; covers any kind of giving

文法句型

set + somebody + a task/a challenge/a goal

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 16 — this sense covers tasks, challenges, goals, and targets in any setting (work, sport, training), while sense 16 is specific to school assignments. Often appears in the passive ('I was set a difficult job').

常見錯誤

❌My manager set to me a new project.
✅My manager set me a new project.
💡drop 'to' when the indirect object comes right after 'set'.

18. to compose a tune that fits the rhythm and meaning of a poem, prayer, or other w

18.動詞及物C1
釋義

譜成樂曲

為詩或歌詞寫出可演唱的曲調

to compose a tune that fits the rhythm and meaning of a poem, prayer, or other written words, so that singers can perform them.

例句

The composer Élise set three of her grandfather's poems to music for the choir.

作曲家 Élise 將祖父的三首詩譜成樂曲，供合唱團演唱。

set + [text] + to music

Schubert set many of Goethe's poems to music in the early nineteenth century.

舒伯特在十九世紀初將歌德的許多詩譜成樂曲。

同義詞
  • score

    more technical; usually for film or full orchestral arrangement

  • compose

    broader; can mean writing music with or without lyrics

文法句型

set + [text] + to music

用法筆記

The most common pattern is 'set [words] to music' or 'set [words] to a tune'. Object is always the written words (poem, lyrics, text); the music itself is introduced by 'to'. Often appears in the passive when the words are well known.

常見錯誤

❌She set music to the poem.
✅She set the poem to music.
💡the words go in the direct-object slot, the music in the 'to' phrase.

19. If the sun sets, or if the moon or a planet sets, it slowly drops out of sight a

19.動詞不及物B1
釋義

落下；西沉

太陽、月亮或行星沉到地平線下

If the sun sets, or if the moon or a planet sets, it slowly drops out of sight at the far edge of the sky and disappears from view.

例句

The sun was setting over the rice fields as Bao cycled home from school.

Bao 騎腳踏車從學校回家時，太陽正落在稻田上方。

subject is the sun + 'over [place]' for location

By the time Heloísa reached the lighthouse, the sun had already set behind the cliffs.

Heloísa 抵達燈塔時，太陽早已西沉到懸崖後方。

past perfect 'had set' for an action finished before another past event

同義詞
  • go down

    everyday phrasal-verb equivalent; very common in speech

  • sink

    more visual, suggests a slow descent into the horizon

  • dip

    literary; describes the sun briefly touching the horizon

反義詞
  • rise

    the opposite movement: sun, moon, or planet appearing above the horizon

文法句型

[sun/moon/planet] + sets

用法筆記

Only sense of 'set' that is intransitive with the sun, moon, or a planet as subject; never takes a direct object. Often paired with 'over', 'behind', or 'below' plus a place noun to describe where the body disappears from view.

常見錯誤

❌The sun sets the mountain.
✅The sun sets behind the mountain.
💡this sense never takes a direct object; use a preposition like 'behind' or 'over'.
❌The sun was setted at 6 p.m.
✅The sun set at 6 p.m.
💡'set' is irregular; the past form is also 'set', not 'setted'.

set — 名詞

set — 形容詞