set about

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set about

/sɛt‿əˈbaʊt/ US, UK

Rhymes with -aʊt

Where it comes from

From set (verb) + about (adverb, preposition).

verb sets about · setting about · set about

Used with the adverb sense of about.
transitive To circulate or spread (news, a rumour, etc.) For ſome vveeks before it [Parliament] met there vvas ſuch a number of Refugees coming over every day, vvho ſet about a moſt diſmal recital of the perſecution in France, and that in ſo many inſtances that vvere crying and odious, […]
archaic, transitive To plant trees or other vegetation in (a place). [I]ndeede the whole island is a mount ascended by several terraces and walks all set about with orange and citron trees.
archaic, transitive To encircle or surround (something) with other things. Ascending the hill we came to St. Sabina, an ancient fabric, formerly sacred to Diana; there in a Chapel is an admirable picture, the work of Livia Fontana, set about with columns of alabaster, […]
UK, informal, transitive To attack (someone); to set upon. Two youths set about him.
Similar: begin upon
intransitive To start doing or to devote oneself to some task; to set upon. He set about designing his homepage.
Similar: begin upon, undertake, embark on, set to, take in hand

Translations

Every language

verb to start doing or to devote oneself to some task

日本語	着手する chakushu suru, 始める hajimeru, 取り掛かる torikakaru
Français	entreprendre, s'attaquer à
Italiano	cominciare, iniziare, intraprendere
Română	porni, se apuca, se pune
Русский	приступить к pristupitʹ k

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MLA

"set about." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/set%20about. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

set about. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/set%20about

Chicago

"set about." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/set%20about.

BibTeX

@misc{set_about_2026,
  title = {set about},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/set%20about},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}