Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - setting

~ n C usually singular 1 all the things that surround someone or something at a particular time, including the events that happen, their environment, or the people they are with  (an old farm house in a beautiful setting | children brought up in a privileged setting) 2 the place or time that the action of a book, film etc happens  (Canberra is the setting for his latest novel.) 3 the position in which you fix the controls on a machine or instrument  (The freezer's already on its highest setting.) 4 the metal that holds a stone in a piece of jewellery, or the way the stone is fixed  (a diamond ring in a gold setting) 5 music that is written to go with a poem, prayer etc 6 the setting of the sun literary the time when the sun goes down  (- see also place setting)