Meanings
present singular third person sets on · participle present setting on
- To attack.
Cassio hath here been set on in the dark.
c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i] - To encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone.
I will set the dogs on you, if you don't leave right now!
- To be determined to do or achieve something.
I had my mind pretty well set on working for a small company.
1 more example
Chula[longkorn University is] still set on demolishing historic shrine – once it evicts caretakers
2020 June 17, Coconuts Bangkok, “Chula still set on demolishing historic shrine – once it evicts caretakers”, in coconuts.co, coconuts.co, retrieved 17 Jun 2020Synonyms: set upon
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo be determined to do or achieve something.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
For semantic parallels, compare cognate German ansetzen; Russian насе́сть pf (naséstʹ), наседа́ть impf (nasedátʹ).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 放, 讓 /让
- 放 (fàng)to encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- 讓 /让 (ràng)to encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- 決心 /决心 (juéxīn)to be determined to do or achieve something
- 決定 /决定 (juédìng)to be determined to do or achieve something
Finnish usuttaa kimppuun, aikoa
- usuttaa kimppuunto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- aikoato be determined to do or achieve something
- olla päättänytto be determined to do or achieve something
Polish napuszczać, napuścić
- napuszczaćto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- napuścićto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- szczućto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- poszczućto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
- być zdeterminowanymto be determined to do or achieve something
Russian натрави́ть
- натрави́ть (natravítʹ)to encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
Spanish azuzar
- azuzarto encourage someone, or an animal, to attack someone
Cite this entry
set on. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20on
“set on.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20on. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “set on,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20on.
Source: set on on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.