Definition

1. Noun:
   • An act that incriminates someone on a false charge: A situation or scheme designed to make an innocent person appear guilty.
   • The way something is organized or arranged: The structure, organization, or layout of a system, place, or situation.
   • Equipment designed to serve a specific function: A collection of tools, devices, or machines assembled for a particular purpose.

Usage Examples

• Noun (False Incrimination):

  • The defendant claimed the whole thing was a setup by a rival.
  • It was a clever setup; the evidence was all planted.

• Noun (Organization/Arrangement):

  • I'm still getting used to the new office setup.
  • The classroom setup encourages group discussion.

• Noun (Equipment Assembly):

  • He has an impressive stereo setup in his living room.
  • The laboratory's experimental setup is very sophisticated.

Advanced Usage

• "be a setup for (something)": To be an arrangement or situation that is very likely to lead to a particular (often negative) outcome.
  • Working without a contract is a setup for problems later.
• "the whole setup": Used to refer to an entire system or organization, often with a slight implication of suspicion or complexity.
  • I don't trust the whole setup; it seems too good to be true.

Variants and Related Words

• Set up (phrasal verb): To establish, arrange, or assemble something.
  • We need to set up a meeting for next week.
  • Can you help me set up the new software?
• Set-up (alternative hyphenated spelling): An accepted variant spelling of the noun "setup."

Synonyms

• Arrangement: The way things are placed or organized.
• Configuration: The particular arrangement or pattern of a group of related things.
• Frame-up (specific to false incrimination): A conspiracy to incriminate someone falsely.
• Rig: A piece of equipment assembled for a specific task.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Set up: As a phrasal verb, it is always written as two words. It covers the actions that create a "setup" (noun).
  • They set up a charity to help the community. (They established it.)
  • Please set up the chairs for the presentation. (Please arrange them.)

Related Idioms

• A setup job: Informal term for an act of framing someone.
  • The police discovered it was a setup job from the start.
• The setup and the payoff: A narrative or comedic structure where a situation is established (the setup) leading to a later result or punchline (the payoff).
  • A good joke requires a strong setup and an unexpected payoff.

Noun

1. an act that incriminates someone on a false charge
2. the way something is organized or arranged
   • it takes time to learn the setup around here
3. equipment designed to serve a specific function