Definition

Verb: 1. To reserve or allocate something for a specific purpose: To decide that something, such as time, money, or resources, will be used for a particular reason and not for anything else. 2. To annul or overrule a legal decision: To officially cancel or reject a previous judgment, verdict, or ruling, especially in a legal context. 3. To put to one side; to disregard temporarily: To intentionally ignore or leave something out of consideration for the time being.

Usage Examples

• Verb (Reserve/Allocate):
  • She sets aside time for meditation every day.
  • The government has set aside funds for infrastructure projects.
• Verb (Annul/Overrule):
  • The judge set aside the jury's verdict due to procedural errors.
  • The court of appeal can set aside the lower court's decision.
• Verb (Put aside/Disregard):
  • Let's set aside our differences and work together.
  • For now, we need to set aside that issue and focus on the main agenda.

Advanced Usage

• "to set aside a portion of": To allocate a specific part of something.
  • The recipe instructs you to set aside a portion of the chocolate for garnish.
• "to have something set aside": To have something reserved or saved.
  • He has a small amount of money set aside for emergencies.

Variants and Related Words

• Set-aside (noun): In government or agriculture, a policy or portion of something reserved for a specific group or purpose.
  • The contract includes a set-aside for small businesses.
• Setting aside (gerund/noun): The act of reserving or annulling.
  • The setting aside of the conviction was a major victory.

Synonyms

• Reserve: To keep something for a particular use or time.
• Allocate: To distribute resources or duties for a specific purpose.
• Earmark: To designate or set aside for a specific purpose (as in "I will earmark this money for your research").
• Annul: To declare invalid or void.
• Disregard: To pay no attention to; ignore.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Put aside: Very similar in meaning to "set aside" in the sense of reserving or saving.
  • It's wise to put aside some savings each month.
• Lay aside: To save or store for future use.
  • She laid aside her book to answer the phone.

Related Idioms

• Set aside for a rainy day: To save something, especially money, for a time in the future when it might be needed.
  • My grandparents always taught me to set aside money for a rainy day.

Verb

1. make inoperative or stop
   • suspend payments on the loan
2. give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
   • I will earmark this money for your research
   • She sets aside time for meditation every day