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set against meaning

"set against" in a sentence

Meaningmobile phoneMobile

  • 1. set sth against sth BrE to consider whether the advantages in a situation are greater than the disadvantages:
    The recent increase in output has to be set against increased labor costs.
    The risks seem small when set against the potential benefits of biotechnology.
    SIMILAR TO: weigh against, balance against
    2. set sth against sth to compare two amounts, numbers, periods etc:
    This $6 million grant seems less impressive when set against the government's $800 million investment programme for the region.
    3. be set against sth if a film, play, story etc is set against a particular place or period of history, the story takes place in that place or during that period
    be set against the background/backdrop of sth
    Many of Forester's novels are set against the background of the Napoleonic Wars.
    Infidelity, ambition, and violence are all part of this drama set against the glamorous backdrop of Beverly Hills society.
    4. set against sthset sth against sth to be in front of a particular background, especially in a way that is attractive:
    red and orange autumn leaves, set against a clear blue sky
    a region of rice fields, coconut groves and jungles, set against a horizon of hazy mountains
    set against a background/backdrop
    Bold stripes in red and orange are set against a crisp white background.
    5. set sb against sb to make someone start a fight or quarrel with another person, especially someone who they had a friendly relationship with before:
    The bitter civil war has set brother against brother.
    Capitalists have a direct interest in setting white workers against black and undermining the unity of the working class.
    SIMILAR TO: turn against
    6. be (dead) set against sth to be strongly opposed to something:
    What made you change your mind? Last night, you were dead set against the idea.
    When I first told my parents that I wanted to be an actor, they were dead set against it.
    SIMILAR TO: be opposed to
    7. set sth against tax BrE to make an official record of the amount of money that you have spent in connection with your business, in order to reduce the amount of tax that you have to pay:
    Heating and lighting costs can be set against tax.
    SIMILAR TO: set off against

Examples

  • They are being set against me.
  • Sperlich in particular was dead set against it.
  • set against her virtues, her faults do not seem nearly so bad.
  • He was also dead set against having a woman at the top, being very much of the old school.
  • It was her best face physically that was now set against the south wind.
  • Her father was dead set against her marrying tom
  • The evidence set against which to make the test
  • He has many virtues to set against his faults
  • Diamonds look best when they are set against black cloth
  • Why are you so dead set against that kid
  • More examples:  1  2  3  4  5

Other Languages

What is the meaning of set against and how to define set against in English? set against meaning, what does set against mean in a sentence? set against meaningset against definition, translation, pronunciation, synonyms and example sentences are provided by eng.ichacha.net.