set out
To leave or get started, usually with a place or a job in mind.
Also called settin' out.
Updated September 24, 2026
set out pronunciation
/SET owt/
Meaning
In redneck and rural Southern talk, set out means you leave for somewhere or take on a task on purpose. You set out for town at daylight, or you set out to fix the fence and somehow end up under the truck. It is not a polite exit speech. It is the moment you actually go or begin.
How folks use it
- “We set out for the deer camp before the frost burned off.”
- “He set out to paint the barn and quit after one wall.”
Origin and etymology
English has used set out for "begin a journey" since the 1500s, from older set meaning put in place or get ready. Rural Southern and Appalachian speech kept that travel sense in ordinary talk, and the same phrase also covers starting a chore or goal. Other kitchen and farm senses (food left sitting out, setting out plants) share the root but are separate uses.
Frequently asked questions
Is set out the same as head out?
Close. Head out is mostly about leaving. Set out can mean leaving or starting a job you meant to do.