English

Verb

set apart ‎(third-person singular simple present sets apart, present participle setting apart, simple past and past participle set apart) (transitive)

1. To select (something or someone) for a specific purpose.
2. To distinguish, make obvious the distinction between (two things) or of (something).
   • 2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, "London Is Special, but Not That Special," New York Times (retrieved 28 September 2013):

     It is one of the ironies of capital cities that each acts as a symbol of its nation, and yet few are even remotely representative of it. London has always set itself apart from the rest of Britain — but political, economic and social trends are conspiring to drive that wedge deeper.

3. Used other than as an idiom: to separate or isolate.

Synonyms

• (select for a purpose): appropriate, dedicate