set free
To liberate.
The trapper set all the small animals free before the snowstorm hit.
set great store by
set store by
To like or value; want to keep. Used with a qualifying word between set and store.
George sets great store by that old tennis racket.
Pat doesn't set much store by Mike's advice.
set in one's ways
Stubborn; opinionated; unchangeable.
My grandfather is so old and set in his ways that he'll eat nothing new.
set in
To begin; start; develop.
Before the boat could reach shore, a storm had set in.
He did not keep the cut clean and infection set in.
The wind set in from the east.
set loose
To make free or give up control of something or someone; to release or discharge something or someone, as from confinement.
Due to a lack of evidence, the suspects were set loose by police.
Samantha was suspended for setting mice loose throughout the school.
set of new threads
New men's suit.
"Nice set of new threads" Ed said, when he saw Dave in his new tailor-made outfit.
set off
To decorate through contrast; balance by difference.
The bright colors of the birds were set off by the white snow.
A small gold pin set off her plain dark dress.
To balance; make somewhat equal.
Her great wealth, as he thought, set off her plain face.
To begin to go.
They set off for the West in a covered wagon.
We set out for the top of the mountain at dawn. Unfortunately, as we set off, it started to snow heavily, so we decided to head out again later.
To cause to begin.
A letter from home set off an attack of homesickness.
An atomic explosion is created by setting off a chain reaction in the atom.
To cause to explode.
On July 4 we set off firecrackers in many places.
set on
set upon
To begin suddenly to fight against; attack fiercely.
Tom was walking through the park when a gang of boys set on him.
To cause to attack.
Some boys went to steal melons but the farmer set his dog on them.