- 1a set of surroundings; the place at which something happens a rural/an ideal/a beautiful/an idyllic, etc. setting It was the perfect setting for a wonderful Christmas. People tend to behave differently in different social settings. Thesaurusenvironment
- setting
- surroundings
- background
- environment the conditions in a place that affect the behavior and development of someone or something:An unhappy home environment can affect children's behavior. a pleasant working environment
- setting a place or situation of a particular type, in which something happens or exists:The island provided an exotic setting for the concert.
- surroundings everything that is around or near someone or something:The cabins blend in perfectly with their surroundings.
- background the things or area behind or around the main objects or people that are in a place or picture:The mountains in the background were capped with snow.
- in (a/an) .. environment/setting/surroundings
- (a/an) new/unfamiliar environment/setting/surroundings
- somebody/something's immediate environment/surroundings
- (a) dramatic setting/background
- 2the place and time at which the action of a play, novel, etc. takes place short stories with a contemporary setting
- 3a position at which the controls on a machine can be set, to set the speed, height, temperature, etc. The performance of the engine was tested at different settings.
- 4(music) music written to go with a poem, etc. Schubert's setting of a poem by Goethe
- 5a piece of metal in which a precious stone is fixed to form a piece of jewelry a ruby in a heavy gold setting
- 6a complete set of equipment for eating with (knife, fork, spoon, glass, etc.) for one person, arranged on a table a place setting
Check pronunciation: setting