set up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ set )
1 . COMPANY/ORGANIZATION ETC to start a company, organization, committee etc SYN establish
set something ↔ up
They want to set up their own import–export business.
new regulations for setting up political parties
set (yourself) up (as something) (=start your own business)
John decided to set up as a graphic designer.
set up shop/set up in business (=begin operating a business)
Now Betterware plans to set up shop elsewhere in Europe.
2 . ARRANGE/ORGANIZE set something ↔ up to make the arrangements that are necessary for something to happen:
I’ll set up an appointment for you.
There was a lot of work involved in setting up the festival.
3 . EQUIPMENT to prepare the equipment that will be needed for an activity so that it is ready to be used:
The next band was already setting up on the other stage.
set something ↔ up
Can someone set the overhead projector up?
4 . BUILD/PUT UP set something ↔ up to place or build something somewhere, especially something that is not permanent:
They’ve set up roadblocks around the city.
5 . TRICK SOMEBODY set somebody ↔ up informal to trick someone in order to achieve what you want, especially to make it appear that they have done something wrong or illegal:
Cox claimed that the police had tried to set him up.
6 . PROVIDE MONEY set somebody ↔ up British English informal to provide someone with money that they need, especially in order to start a business:
After he qualified as a doctor, his mother set him up in a practice of his own.
Selling her share of the company has set her up for life.
7 . HEALTHY/FULL OF ENERGY set somebody up British English to make you feel healthy and full of energy:
A good breakfast will set you up for the day.
8 . set yourself up as something to deliberately make people believe that you have the authority and skill to do something, especially when this is not true:
politicians who set themselves up as moral authorities
9 . PUT SOMEBODY IN POSITION set somebody up to put someone in a position in which they are able to do something, or in which something is likely to happen to them
set somebody up for
If he won the fight, it would set him up for a title shot.
Anyone with public duties sets themselves up for attack.
10 . RELATIONSHIP set somebody ↔ up informal to arrange for two people to meet, because you think they might start a romantic relationship:
‘How did you meet Nick?’ ‘A friend set us up.’
11 . set up home/house ( also set up housekeeping American English ) to get your own home, furniture etc, especially when you leave your parents’ home to live with a wife, husband, or partner:
Many parents try to help their children set up home.
12 . set up a commotion/din/racket etc to start making a loud unpleasant noise:
The party guests were setting up a steady din.
⇨ set up camp at ↑ camp 1 (1)