set someone or something to work

set someone or something to work
set someone or something to work
to start someone or something working; to cause someone or something to begin functioning. •

The captain set everyone to work repairing the tears in the fabric of the sails.

We will set the machines to work at the regular time.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • set someone to work — phrase to make someone do work for you, especially when they do not want to do this Don’t complain that you’re bored, or Dad will set you to work. set someone to work doing something: I’ve set them to work clearing out the garage. Thesaurus: to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • set someone to work — to make someone do work for you, especially when they do not want to do this Don t complain that you re bored, or Dad will set you to work. set someone to work doing something: I ve set them to work clearing out the garage …   English dictionary

  • set — set1 [ set ] (past tense and past participle set) verb *** ▸ 1 put someone/something somewhere ▸ 2 make something happen ▸ 3 make equipment ready ▸ 4 decide time/place/value ▸ 5 establish way to do something ▸ 6 do something that influences ▸ 7… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • set apart — verb 1. select something or someone for a specific purpose (Freq. 1) The teacher assigned him to lead his classmates in the exercise • Syn: ↑assign, ↑specify • Derivationally related forms: ↑specification (for: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • set — [set] vt. set, setting [ME setten < OE settan (akin to Ger setzen & Goth satjan < Gmc * satjan), caus. formation “to cause to sit” < base of SIT] 1. to place in a sitting position; cause to sit; seat 2. a) to cause (a fowl) to sit on… …   English World dictionary

  • set — /set/, v., set, setting, n., adj., interj. v.t. 1. to put (something or someone) in a particular place: to set a vase on a table. 2. to place in a particular position or posture: Set the baby on his feet. 3. to place in some relation to something …   Universalium

  • set — vb 1 Set, settle, fix, establish mean to cause someone or something to be put securely in position. Set is the most inclusive of these terms, sometimes implying placing in a definite location, especially to serve some definite purpose {set a… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • set — 1 /set/ verb past tense and past participle set PUT DOWN 1 PUT (transitive always + adv/prep) to carefully put something down somewhere, especially something that is difficult to carry: set sth down/on etc: She set the tray down on a table next… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • set — set1 W1S1 [set] v past tense and past participle set present participle setting ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(put)¦ 2¦(put into surface)¦ 3¦(story)¦ 4¦(consider)¦ 5¦(establish something)¦ 6¦(start something happening)¦ 7¦(decide something)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • work — work1 W1S1 [wə:k US wə:rk] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(do a job for money)¦ 2¦(do your job)¦ 3¦(help)¦ 4¦(do an activity)¦ 5¦(try to achieve something)¦ 6¦(machine/equipment)¦ 7¦(be effective/successful)¦ 8¦(have an effect)¦ 9¦(art/style/literature)¦ …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • set — I UK [set] / US verb Word forms set : present tense I/you/we/they set he/she/it sets present participle setting past tense set past participle set *** 1) [transitive] to put someone or something in a position set someone/something… …   English dictionary

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