What does "sett" mean?
The system of tunnels that is the home of a badger.
Sett
/sɛt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The system of tunnels that is the home of a badger.
- Grammar: sett is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: cobble, cobblestone.
- Usage evidence: But it is quite sad to reflect that some 4,500 badger setts were already wiped out using poisoned gas between 1975 and 1982. When you consider that an average sett can contain up to 15 animals, parents and cubs, it is easy to imagine the scale of suffering involved.
How to use "sett"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sett" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sett" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sett" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sett" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sett" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cobble" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sett", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The system of tunnels that is the home of a badger.
"But it is quite sad to reflect that some 4,500 badger setts were already wiped out using poisoned gas between 1975 and 1982. When you consider that an average sett can contain up to 15 animals, parents and cubs, it is easy to imagine the scale of suffering involved."
- 2 rectangular paving stone with curved top; once used to make roads wordnet
- 3 The pattern of distinctive threads and yarns that make up the plaid of a Scottish tartan.
"The Vestiarium gave setts for Lowland houses as well as Highland clans[…]and many families within the clans have their own setts to add to the clan tartans.[…]The clans and families are branching out with Dress and Hunting tartans, and the same sett—any sett—may be produced in dark "modern," lighter "ancient" or "muted" color schemes."
- 4 The number of warp ends per inch in the cloth.
- 5 The number of reeds or splits per inch – one half the number of ends per inch. England
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A small, square-cut piece of quarried stone used for paving and edging.
"Very durable grey granite has been quarried near Aberdeen for more than 300 years, and blocked and dressed paving "setts," kerb and building stones, and monumental and other ornamental work of granite have long been exported from the district to all parts of the world."
- 7 A mine or set of mines on lease.
"[…] let the dialler, with the same instrument he uses underground, run a north and south line on the surface, in any convenient part of the sett, marking the extremities by well-fixed points, […]"
- 8 A collection of pumps in a mine.
"After a delay of about three months, the 24 inches sett of pumps was ready for work, and sinking was resumed with one sett of pumps 18 inches in diameter in No. 1 pit, and one sett 24 inches in diameter in No. 2 pit; […]"
Verb
- 1 Obsolete spelling of set (particularly as a simple past and past participle). alt-of, obsolete
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"But it is quite sad to reflect that some 4,500 badger setts were already wiped out using poisoned gas between 1975 and 1982. When you consider that an average sett can contain up to 15 animals, parents and cubs, it is easy to imagine the scale of suffering involved."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sett"?
Common synonyms include: cobble, cobblestone.
How do you use "sett" in a sentence?
But it is quite sad to reflect that some 4,500 badger setts were already wiped out using poisoned gas between 1975 and 1982. When you consider that an average sett can contain up to 15 animals, parents and cubs, it is easy to imagine the scale of suffering involved.
How do you pronounce "sett"?
Pronounced /sɛt/.
Etymology
A variant of set to distinguish various technical senses.