set to+n.

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

I have come across a sentence "If we set to work, we can fulfil our plan aheard of time".

In the sentence " set to" is a "v. + prep." phrase. However, according to my dictionaries, "set to" is a "v.+adv." phrase, e.g.,

1. Charlie took a helping of turkey, grabbed his knife and fork, and set to.
2. One man catled the other a liar and they set to.

So is this "v. + prep." a new use of the phrase?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Casiopea]

The stress is different:

[1] If we set to work (set to it, set ourselves to doing the work, set ourselves to undertaking the work), we can fulfil our plan ahead of time.

[2] Charlie took a helping of turkey, and set to. (began eating vigorously)

[jiang]

Dear Cas,
Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

The stress is different:

[1] If we set to work (set to it, set ourselves to doing the work, set ourselves to undertaking the work), we can fulfil our plan ahead of time.

[2] Charlie took a helping of turkey, and set to. (began eating vigorously)

[jiang]

Dear Cas,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

The stress is different:

[1] If we set to work (set to it, set ourselves to doing the work, set ourselves to undertaking the work), we can fulfil our plan ahead of time.

[2] Charlie took a helping of turkey, and set to. (began eating vigorously)