h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Most of your examples of 'different' meanings for set are covered by the first - to put something into position. Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill!

I once read that there are 40 different meanings of the word 'set'. Most of them probably boil down to 'putting something in its place', it's just the context that varies.

Thanks, Cheerful Dragon.

To answer your 'mountain vs molehill' comment even further, Raven, my CassellÕs Dictionary gives two derivations of 'set': the Anglo-Saxon ÔsittanÕ (to sit) and the old French ÔsetteÕ (a sect). It defines 'set' as:

'to place, to put, to stand; to fix; to plant (usually out); to bring, put, place, or station in a specified or right position, posture, direction or state; to arrange or dispose for use, action, display, etc; to apply (a thing to something else); to attach, to fasten, to join; to determine, to appoint, to settle, to establish; to cause to sit; to apply (oneself, oneÕs energies, etc, to), to cause (to work, etc); to present, to offer (an example, task, etc); to stud, to make insertions in (a surface, etc); to arrange, to compose (type); to fix the hair in waves, etc; (Music) to adapt or fit (words, etc) to music, usually composed for the purpose; (Nautical) to hoist, to spread (sail).Ó These are the transitive verb meanings. The intransitive meanings it gives are, Òto become solid, hard, or firm from a fluid condition, to congeal, to solidify; to take shape, to become fixed; to move, tend, or incline in a definite or specified direction; to mature, to develop (of flowers or fruit); to point (of a dog); to face oneÕs partner (in dancing); to pass below the horizon; (figuratively) to decline, to pass away.Ó As an adjective, it means Òfixed, unyielding, immovable; determined, intent (on or upon); rigid, motionless; stationary; established, prescribed; regular, in due form.Ó As a noun, CassellÕs defines set as, Òa number of similar, related or complementary things or persons, a collection, a group, a company, a clique; a number of things intended to be used together or required to form a whole; a clutch or sitting of eggs; a group of games played together, counting as a unit, especially in lawn-tennis; the direction of a current, opinion, etc; drift, tendency, trend; confirmation, posture, pose, carriage; the way a dress, etc, sits; permanent inclination, bend, displacement, bias; the spread or deflection of the teeth of a saw alternately to right or left, the amount of this; the act of pointing at game, etc (by a setter); a young plant for setting out, a shoot, a slip for planting; the last coat of plaster on a wall; (mining) a mine or group of mines leased together, a distance set off for excavation, a timber framing for supporting the roof; (printing) the amount of margin in type determining the distance between letters; (theatre) a set scene; (cinema) a built-up scene.'

My CassellÕs is a fairly compact dictionary; I have other reference books that go into greater detail on the various definitions of the word 'set'.

I decided to understate the case for the word 'set' having so many meanings, because I wanted the entry to be entertaining and easy to read.