set-back: Meaning and Definition of

set-back

1. the interval by which a chain or tape exceeds the length being measured.
2. setback (def. 4).

set•back

1. a check to progress; a reverse or defeat: The new law was a setback.
2. a recession of the upper part of a building from the building line, as to lighten the structure or to permit a desired amount of light and air to reach ground level at the foot of the building.
3. an act or instance of setting back: A nightly setback of your home thermostats can save a great deal of fuel.
4. a downward temperature adjustment of a thermostat, esp. performed automatically, as by a timer.