setup
English meaning: Setup
Definition
Equipment designed for a particular purpose; an apparatus.
Example
“The laboratory included an elaborate setup for measuring the energy.”
Another example: “He claimed the whole arrest was a setup by his rivals.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A neutral noun for the arrangement or installation of equipment ('the stage setup'), the way something is organized, or, informally, a trick to incriminate or deceive someone ('it was a setup'). Common in technical, organizational, and informal contexts. Note: 'set up' (two words) is the verb.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
A noun formed from the phrasal verb 'set up', combining 'set' plus 'up'; the noun spelling as one word dates to the early 20th century.
Synonyms
- arrangement
- configuration
- apparatus
- layout
- system
Related Words
- reserves
- configuration
- aged
- closer
- disk
- substitute
- server
- suspension
- files
- senior
Common Collocations
- test setup
- experimental setup
- whole setup
- setup costs
- quick setup
- a complete setup
Word Forms
setup (n); setups (pl); set up (v)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B