/set"euh suyd'/ , n.
1. something, as land or profits, set aside for a particular purpose.
2. a tract of federal lands set aside as a wildlife refuge, oil exploration site, etc.
3. a tract of farmland on which commercial crops or a specific crop will not be grown, as part of a federal plan to decrease production in order to maintain or increase prices.
4. a specified amount or percentage of an industry's production set aside, esp. for government use: Ten percent of gasoline production is a set-aside for emergency use by the state.
5. a government contract awarded, as to a minority-owned business, without competitive bidding.
adj.
6. pertaining to or constituting a set-aside: set-aside provisions of the new law.
[ 1940-45; n., adj. use of v. phrase set aside ]