a set to
Preserved but no longer current.
A boxing match, a pugilistic fight, a scolding. In pugilism the combatants were by then: seconds "set to the scratch"1 or line marked on the ground.
một trận đấu quyền anh, một cuộc chiến tay đôi, một trận la mắng
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a set to” mean?
A boxing match, a pugilistic fight, a scolding. In pugilism the combatants were by then: seconds "set to the scratch"1 or line marked on the ground.
Is “a set to” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.