set-out Chiefly colloq. and dial.
(Stress variable.)
Pl. set-outs (incorrectly sets-out).
[f. vbl. phr. set out: see set v.1 149.]
1. A display. a. A display or set of plate, china, etc.
| 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) x. xxi, Every dish..being served up on the kitchen table, with a set-out of crockery from the same apartment. 1823 ‘Jon Bee’ Dict. Turf, etc., Set out,..'tis also applied to a sideboard, decked out, or a dinner table, set out. 1830 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 14 He and his punt came home looking like a set-out of glass, and himself half-frozen. 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 368/1 The lady..wanted me to go and buy expressly for her a green and white chamber service all complete,..and all this here grand set-out she wanted for a couple of old washed-out light waistcoats. |
b. A ‘spread’ of food.
| 1809 Malkin Gil Blas iii. viii. (Rtldg.) 101 There was a grand set-out, and mirth, the best relish, was not wanting to the banquet. 1815 Jane Austen Emma xlii, ‘There shall be cold meat in the house.’ ‘Well, as you please; only don't have a great set-out.’ 1850 L. Hunt Autobiog. I. iv. 161 A becoming set-out of coffee and buttered toast. 1898 Mrs. H. Ward Helbeck i. v. 98 It wor a varra poor set-oot, wor Jenny's buryin. Nowt but tay, an sic-like. |
c. A ‘turn-out’;
i.e. a carriage with its horses, harness, etc.
| 1810 Sporting Mag. XXXVI. 82 The set out of these gentlemen excited admiration. 1819 Ibid. V. 123 The Corinthians, in their bang-up sets-out of blood and bone. 1827 Ibid. XX. 47 The fame of the Western sets-out is recorded in Nimrod's best style. 1833 T. Hamilton Men & Mann. Amer. vi. (1843) 86, I thought of the impression the whole set-out would be likely to produce on an English road. a 1837 [Apperley] Road (1852) 62 The vis-à-vis,.. with all its set-out, has cost at least a thousand pounds. 1837 J. F. Cooper England (ed. 2) III. 119 A procession of mail⁓coaches, which however neat and seemly the set-outs, had too much the air of a cockney show. 1851–61 Mayhew Lond. Labour II. 46/2 The ‘whole set out’..poney included, cost 50l. when new. 1856 G. J. Whyte-Melville Kate Coventry iv. 38 As we pulled up in front of the Castle Hotel..‘'Ere's a spicy set-out, Bill!’ said one. |
| transf. 1819 Lady Morgan in Mem. (1862) II. 114 He said he had orders to bring the Captain's boat and ten men for me as often as I pleased. He came with this set-out twice. |
d. A person's costume or ‘get-up’; the way in which a person is dressed.
| 1834 L. Ritchie Wand. Seine 192 Her cap is..a plain set-out, round which is thrown loosely a piece of white muslin bordered with lace. 1834 Tait's Mag. I. 605/2 Both at a glance seemed to make a rapid inventory and appraisement of Mrs. Mark Luke, and her entire set-out. 1837 Dickens Pickw. ii, He called his companion's attention to the large gilt button, which displayed a bust of Mr. Pickwick in the centre, and the letters ‘P.C.’ on either side. ‘P.C.’, said the stranger,—‘queer set out—old fellow's likeness, and {oqq}P.C.{cqq}’. 1892 Daily News 7 Sept. 6/5 In a blue and green dress, with bows flying, and every one turning round to look and laugh at her set-out. |
e. A show or public performance; an entertainment for a number of people, a party of pleasure.
| 1818 Lady Morgan Autobiog. (1859) 290 He excited some sensation here last Wednesday, when I had a most brilliant set-out. 1823 W. Robinson in J. A. Heraud Voy. & Mem. Midshipm. (1837) 140 We went to the play here; but it was a horrid set out. 1834 Dickens Sk. Boz, Tales i. ch. ii, Never saw anything like that Captain Ross's set-out—eh? Ibid. Tales vii, The best way will be, to have a committee of ten, to..manage the whole set-out. 1887 Kent. Gloss., Set out,.. a grand display; an event causing excitement and talk. ‘There was a grand set-out at the wedding.’ |
f. A party, set (of people), company.
| 1854 Dickens Hard T. i. viii, She must just hate and detest the whole set-out of us. |
g. A commotion, disturbance, ‘to-do’.
| 1833 Dickens Let. ? Jan. (1965) I. 14, I am consequently unable to tell the story and to deliver a plain unvarnish'd tale of the set out. 1875 Parish Sussex Gloss. 101 There's been a pretty set-out up at the forge. 1887 Kent Gloss., Set-out, a great fuss and disturbance. 1903 Somerville & ‘Ross’ All on Irish Shore i. 15 ‘I'm sure Fennessy wishes to hear no more of it,’ said Barnet acridly to Mrs. Griffen, when Mrs. Alexander had passed swiftly out of hearing, ‘after the way those girls have been worryin' on at him about it all the morning. Such a set out!’ 1933 D. L. Sayers Murder must Advertise x. 166 ‘Coo! that was a set-out, that was.’ |
2. A beginning or start.
| 1821 Byron Diary 18 Feb. in Moore Lett. etc. (1830) II. 429 The commotions left every body a side to take; and the parties were pretty equal at the set out. 1863 W. Barnes Dorset Dial., Set out, an outset; a starting, or a proceeding. 1893 Nat. Observer 4 Mar. 392/1 The children..might have had such a good set-out in the world. |
3. Outfit, equipment.
| 1831 Lincoln Herald 7 Oct. 4/4 Gambling set-outs of every description. 1832 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 45 But my grand object was to try all the tackle, having (except the gun, newly done up) an entirely new set-out, on a somewhat different, and I hope, improved plan. 1864 Gd. Words 788/1 The teacher..is supposed to have on his shelf a full set-out of the most approved elementary volumes. |
4. Coal-mining. (See
quot.) Also
set-out tub.
| 1849 Greenwell Gloss. Terms Coal Trade (1851) 46 Set-out, a tub or corf of coals filled insufficiently, and consequently forfeited. 1891 Labour Commission Gloss., Set-out Tub, a tub of coal insufficiently filled by a miner. |