Englishfor English speakers
finish
Verb
—
If something finishes, it stops and doesn't start again; it comes to the end.
I finish work at 4:30 and I get home at 5:00.
In June of 1992 I had just finished university and I was looking for a job.
She finished off her homework and put it away.
Finish up your lunch quickly, please.
—
If something finishes somebody off, it uses all their energy or it kills them.
That last run around the track completely finished me off.
—
If you finish something up, you use the last of it.
I finished up the milk this morning. There's none left.
—
If you are finished with something, you don't need it anymore.
—
If you finish the surface of something, especially wood, you make it smooth and ready to use.
finish
Noun
—
The finish is the last part or end of something.
As the runners come to the finish, they are side by side.
It was a good day from start to finish.
—
The finish is the way a surface looks after it has been made smooth and ready to use.
The oil gives the wood a smooth, deep finish.
a
Determinative
—
A is used when the following word could be any of a certain type.
Compare "A book I saw on the shelf" and "The book I gave you yesterday".
a
Noun
—
A is the first letter of the alphabet.
The letter "a" comes before "b".
—
In some schools, an A is a very high grade.
Ron got an A on his earth science test.
set
Verb
—
If you set something somewhere, you put something into a place.
She sets the lamp on the floor.
I was setting glasses on the table when I heard a noise.
—
If you set something, you put it into some state or condition.
After changing the batteries, you have to set the clock again.
They set the house on fire
He sets the CD player to play.
The guard had never set a prisoner free before.
—
If you set something, you define it or to fix its value.
The teacher set a time limit of two minutes for this exercise.
The date for the exam was set to next Thursday.
The microwave was set to 400 watts.
—
If you set the table, you put dishes, forks and knives on it.
I set the table for five people, but only three came.
—
When the sun or moon sets, it moves toward the horizon.
The sun sets every evening.
—
If something sets, it dries and becomes solid.
The concrete needs to set before a car can drive on it.
This glue needs two hours to set.
set
Adjective
—
Something that is set is fixed. It cannot be changed easily.
Don't argue! The rules are set.
The time for the race is set.
—
To be ready for something.
Are you set?
set
Noun
—
The set is the scenery for a theatrical work such as a play, ballet, musical, etc.
The Metropolitan Opera's set for Aida is spectacular.
I was painting a wall on the set when the director arrived.
—
A set is a group of things that are similar or can be used together.
This chess set is too expensive to play chess with it.
I have a set of porcelain figurines depicting characters from Shakespeare's plays.
—
A set is a group of things, where every single one of them has a certain purpose. All of them are needed to perform a certain operation.
To play poker, you need a set of playing cards and chips.
A mason has a set of tools.
—
Persons that have something in common may be called a set.
That rich chick is a member of the Jet Set.
Girls who wear sweaters on Wednesday in my school belong to the sweater set.
The Long Island Horsey Set plays polo on weekends.
—
A set is a machine which gets radio or television programs.
This television set is broken.
This radio set can receive programs from Australia.
—
In many sports, a number of sets make up a game. An example of this would be in tennis or table tennis.
The tennis player won the first two sets, but lost the game.