Set off

verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To leave; to set out; to begin a journey or trip. idiomatic, intransitive

    "He set off in search of better opportunities."

  2. 2
    cause to burst with a violent release of energy wordnet
  3. 3
    To begin; to cause; to initiate. idiomatic, transitive

    "I had no idea that one simple comment would set off such a huge argument."

  4. 4
    set in motion or cause to begin wordnet
  5. 5
    To cause to explode, let off. idiomatic, transitive

    "What a tragedy, that someone would set off a bomb in a crowded place."

Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    direct attention to, as if by means of contrast wordnet
  2. 7
    To put into an angry mood; to start (a person) ranting or sulking, etc. idiomatic, transitive

    "Don't set him off or he won't shut up all day."

  3. 8
    provoke or stir up wordnet
  4. 9
    To enhance by emphasizing differences. idiomatic, transitive

    "Her plain white dress was set off by a bright red stole."

  5. 10
    put in motion or move to act wordnet
  6. 11
    To offset, to compensate for: to reduce the effect of, by having a contrary effect. idiomatic, transitive

    "My taxes did not increase because the amount of my raise was set off by my losses in the stock market."

  7. 12
    depart for someplace wordnet
  8. 13
    To deface or soil the next sheet; said of the ink on a freshly printed sheet, when another sheet comes in contact with it before it has had time to dry. historical
  9. 14
    make up for wordnet

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