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set aside

B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To save something for later use, or to stop letting something affect you so you can focus on other things.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

To save or reserve something (time, money, resources) for a specific purpose.

"Try to set aside at least an hour each day for exercise."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 idiomatic neutral

To deliberately ignore or not allow something (feelings, differences) to influence a situation.

"We need to set aside our personal differences and focus on what is best for the company."

Grammar: separable
3 C1 idiomatic formal

(Legal) To officially cancel or reject a court decision or legal ruling.

"The appeal court set aside the original verdict, ordering a new trial."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Very common in both everyday and formal/legal contexts. In legal language, to 'set aside' a ruling means to cancel it. In everyday use, 'set aside your differences' is a common collocation.

Commonly used with

time money differences ruling concerns prejudice

Forms

Base
set aside
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sets aside
he/she/it
Past simple
set aside
yesterday
Past participle
set aside
have + pp
-ing form
setting aside
continuous

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Synonyms

reserve save put aside allocate ignore overrule

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