Dictionary entry details
• SET OFF (verb)
Meaning:
Put in motion or move to act
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Synonyms:
trigger off; trigger; touch off; spark off; spark; set off; actuate; activate; trip
Context examples:
trigger a reaction / actuate the circuits
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
initiate; pioneer (take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of)
Cause:
come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Leave
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
take off; start out; set off; set forth; set out; start; part; depart
Context example:
The family took off for Florida
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
go away; go forth; leave (go away from a place)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set off"):
lift off; take off (depart from the ground)
roar off (leave)
blaze; blaze out (move rapidly and as if blazing)
sally forth; sally out (set out in a sudden, energetic or violent manner)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP
Sentence example:
The children set off to the playground
Meaning:
Direct attention to, as if by means of contrast
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
set off; bring out
Context examples:
This dress accentuates your nice figure! / I set off these words by brackets
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
accent; accentuate; emphasise; emphasize; punctuate; stress (to stress, single out as important)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set off"):
pick up (lift out or reflect from a background)
foreground; highlight; play up; spotlight (move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent)
raise (bring (a surface or a design) into relief and cause to project)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause to burst with a violent release of energy
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
blow up; detonate; explode; set off
Context example:
We exploded the nuclear bomb
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
change integrity (change in physical make-up)
Cause:
blow up; detonate; explode (burst and release energy as through a violent chemical or physical reaction)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set off"):
fulminate (cause to explode violently and with loud noise)
dynamite (blow up with dynamite)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Make up for
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
cancel; offset; set off
Context example:
His skills offset his opponent's superior strength
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize (bring into balance or equilibrium)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set off"):
counteract; counterbalance; countervail; neutralize (oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Set in motion or cause to begin
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Context example:
The guide set the tour off to a good start
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
begin; commence; lead off; start (set in motion, cause to start)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Provoke or stir up
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
instigate; incite; stir up; set off
Context examples:
incite a riot / set off great unrest among the people
Hypernyms (to "set off" is one way to...):
provoke; stimulate (provide the needed stimulus for)
Cause:
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "set off"):
raise (activate or stir up)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
