Set off - definition, pronunciation, transcription
Amer.
|ˈset ˈɒf|
Brit.
|ˈsetɒf|
verb ↓
- put in motion or move to act (syn: activate, actuate, spark, touch off, trigger, trip)
- leave (syn: depart, part, set forth, set out, start, start out, take off)
- direct attention to, as if by means of contrast (syn: bring out)
- cause to burst with a violent release of energy (syn: blow up, detonate, explode)
- make up for (syn: cancel, offset)
- set in motion or cause to begin
- provoke or stir up (syn: incite, instigate, stir up)
- leave (syn: depart, part, set forth, set out, start, start out, take off)
- direct attention to, as if by means of contrast (syn: bring out)
- cause to burst with a violent release of energy (syn: blow up, detonate, explode)
- make up for (syn: cancel, offset)
- set in motion or cause to begin
- provoke or stir up (syn: incite, instigate, stir up)
Examples
He set off for work an hour ago.
I set off to make the work by myself, but in the end I had to ask for help.
Some of your debts can be set off by other money owing to you.
The frame sets off the picture.
The black cloth sets off the jewels nicely.
Direct speech is set off from the rest of the sentence by speech marks.
Terrorists have been setting off bombs in underground trains.
The politician's speech set off violence in the crowd.
One amusing remark was enough to set the crowd off.
I set off these words by brackets
set off great unrest among the people