set the table

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (Mid-Atlantic US):

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Verb

set the table (third-person singular simple present sets the table, present participle setting the table, simple past and past participle set the table)

woman setting the table

1. (literally) To arrange plates, etc. for a meal.

   Synonym: lay the table

   Antonym: clear the table

2. (figuratively) To make a future outcome possible.

   Synonyms: set the stage, pave the way

   • 2009, Thomas G. Segrich, The $32M Sales System for Design & Build Home Remodelers and Kitchen & Bath Professionals‎^[1]:

     The next step is to 'Set the Table' for the sale by stating your agenda. This is both a method of directing the course of the meeting, as well as a trial close

   • 2008, B. A. Marbue Brown, The Clinton Economic Boom‎^[2], page 107:

     In a very real sense, PC technology set the table for the prosperity of the nineties.

Translations

arrange plates, dishes, etc. in preparation for a meal

• Azerbaijani: süfrə açmaq
• Catalan: parar (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 擺桌子 / 摆桌子 (bǎi zhuōzi)

• Danish: dække bord
• Dutch: de tafel dekken
• Finnish: kattaa pöytä
• French: mettre la table (fr), mettre le couvert, dresser la table, dresser le couvert
• Galician: pór a mesa, poñer a mesa
• German: den Tisch decken
• Hungarian: megterít (hu), (asztalt) terít
• Irish: leag an bord
• Italian: apparecchiare (it), apparecchiare la tavola
• Lithuanian: padengti stalą
• Norwegian:

  Nynorsk: dekkja bordet

• Polish: nakrywać do stołu impf, nakryć do stołu pf
• Russian: накры́ть стол pf (nakrýtʹ stol)
• Slovak: prestrieť stôl pf
• Spanish: tender / vestir / preparar / poner la mesa
• Swahili: tandika meza
• Swedish: duka (sv)

make a future outcome possible — see also set the stage,‎ pave the way

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 鋪路 / 铺路 (zh) (pūlù), 奠定基礎 / 奠定基础 (diàndìng jīchǔ)

• Finnish: pohjustaa (fi)
• Polish: kłaść podwaliny impf, położyć podwaliny pf