Settynge

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The surroundings or circumstances in which an event takes place ; the time and place where a narrative is set ; the metal mount that holds a precious stone in jewelry
2. The background or environment around an occurrence ; the historical period and location chosen for a story ; the framework of metal that grips a gemstone in a piece of jewelry
3. Archaic spelling for the environment or backdrop of an event ; the era and locale where a tale takes place ; the mounting, usually of metal, that secures a jewel

Etymology: The noun behind this spelling grew out of the Old English verb "settan," meaning to cause something to sit, and "set" still carries that causative sense in "set the table." The "-ing" ending, which turns a verb into a noun for an action, was already in use in Old English. The spelling "settynge," with its "-ynge," is the Middle English form, the way the word looked in texts written before standard spelling settled. Its meanings spread from the literal act of placing something. A jeweller's "setting" is the metal framework that holds a gem in place, and a story's "setting" is the time and place around its events. The same verb also gave "the setting of the sun," meaning its sinking below the horizon, a sense that goes back to Old English "setan" used of the sun. Each of these senses comes from the basic idea of putting something somewhere and having it stay there.