set piece

[ set pees ]

noun

1. Theater. a piece of scenery used as part of a stage set, as a profile or three-dimensional construction built to stand independently on the stage floor:

   A few set pieces simulating rocks and a fence constituted the scenery for the first act.

2. a work of art, literature, music, etc., having a prescribed thematic and formal structure:

   the set pieces of Restoration comedy.

3. a scene, action, or the like, having a conventional form and functioning as part of the structure of a work of art, literature, etc.
4. a military operation carried out according to a rigid plan.
5. Also called set play. Sports. a coordinated maneuver with team players in a preplanned formation when the ball re-enters active play, as a corner kick in soccer:

   The team’s dedicated practice time for set pieces paid off in their penalty kick results this year.

6. (in a novel, narrative poem, or the like) a passage more or less extraneous to the sequence of events, introduced to supply background, color, or the like.
7. an arrangement of slow-burning fireworks forming a design or composition when lighted.

set piece

noun

1. a work of literature, music, etc, often having a conventional or prescribed theme, intended to create an impressive effect
2. a piece of scenery built to stand independently as part of a stage set
3. a display of fireworks
4. sport a rehearsed team manoeuvre, usually attempted in continuous games at a restart of play, esp when the other side has been penalized for improper play

Word History and Origins

Origin of set piece¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Each new track crashes into the action to ensure that every scene carries enough energy to turn it into a set piece of its own—a trick that makes that long running time speed by.

From The Daily Beast

The real joy of the film, of course, is in its set pieces, which relish the extravaganzas of gore with which Snyder first made a name for himself.

From The Daily Beast

The Americans were not very good on set pieces and conceded a counterattacking goal.

From Washington Post

Mission statements about racial justice and prompt responses to current events are also important, but they must be more than set pieces.

From Washington Post

“Cyberpunk 2077” is exciting, often dialing up the action as high as possible during fun set pieces, like when you infiltrate a swanky hotel or a crowded parade.

From Washington Post

It opens with a bombastic set piece, but it was far less compelling than many of the little, dialogue-driven conflicts that arose.

From The Daily Beast

These big, set-piece events shove the royalty in their face.

From The Daily Beast

This is going to be another high-testosterone showdown set piece.

From The Daily Beast

Those were the set-piece questions of what used to be called classical education.

From The Daily Beast

And the immigration set piece seems potentially quite staggering.

From The Daily Beast

In the meantime, the trees line the avenues in skeleton rows, like a pyrotechnic set-piece before it is ignited.

From Project Gutenberg

There is contrast enough, but he contrasts set-piece with set-piece, scene with scene, not act with act.

From Project Gutenberg

The on-set piece and facing may be cut from one piece, but the fitting is more troublesome.

From Project Gutenberg

At the last set piece there was a tremendous shout of "Long live the King!"

From Project Gutenberg

There was an impression that a set piece had been prepared, and that this was its beginning.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• scenery
• tableau