Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also set) successful or comfortable; usu. as well set-up.

1865		Leaves from the Diary of a Celebrated Burglar 24/1: Here we rested, and being pretty well ‘set up,’ commenced playing cribbage.
1911		G. Bronson-Howard Enemy to Society 13: He was in his criminal prime — a well set up man of thirty-five.
1930		J. Lait Gangster Girl 47: He was a well set-up boy.
1963		in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 19: I came into this real set-up room [...] real classy, see?
1981		S. Berkoff Decadence in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 9: Set up no doubt in pad.
1999		J. Ridley Love Is a Racket 87: The guy [...] does the time. When he gets out Mayer makes sure the guy is set for life.

2. (US) drunk.

1868		Dly Ohio Statesman 16 Oct. 3/2: Elizabeth indulged too freely in benzine and other cordials used by the ladies of the ton, and became inflated, elevated, set up — drunk.
1878		Vancouver Indep. (WA) 12 Dec. 10/3: I shud ask him to state over a few words just how a man felt and acted when he was set up.
1900		T.J. Hains Mr Trunnell Mate of the Ship ‘Pirate’ Ch. iv: There was a distinct smell of liquor in the light breeze, and as the skipper came within the glare of the binnacle lamp I could see he was well set up.

3. prearranged.

1887		G. Devol Forty Years a Gambler 299: One night at New Orleans a stevedore tackled him. It was a set-up job.
1953		‘Curt Cannon’ ‘Good and Dead’ in I Like ’Em Tough (1958) 76: I don’t think this was just an ordinary mug and slug. [...] This was a setup kill.
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 234: ‘Are you going to arrest my client on this bullshit setup arrest or what?’.

4. (US campus) conceited, snobbish.

1900

E.H. Babbitt ‘College Words and Phrases’ in DN II:i 58: set up [...] Proud.

5. (orig. US) pleased, happy.

1906		‘O. Henry’ ‘Memoirs of a Yellow Dog’ in Four Million (1915) 115: Your boss comes in every day as perky and set up as an amateur prestidigitator doing the egg trick.
1911		G. Bronson-Howard Enemy to Society 6: Big Steve’s all set up ’bout it now; nothin’s too good fer her.
1952		W.R. Burnett Little Men, Big World 169: I thought you were so set up about having this kid, Lola.

6. physically ‘built’.

1912		Day Book (Chicago) 9 July 9/1: Isaac is [...] a fine, brawny, well set up househusband.
1938		R. Chandler ‘Redind’ in Red Wind (1946) 12: He was well set up, dark, good-looking.
1951		A. Perrott-White French Legionnaire 97: Adjutant Wellman was a fine-looking man. [...] He was not tall, but broad and well set up.

7. (UK black) worthwhile, ‘legitimate’.

2020

G. Krauze What They Was 168: Whenever we draw chicks we give them fake names coz it’s usually just a beating ting and you never know when you’re chatting to a set-up chick.