set piece

noun

plural set pieces

1

a

: a composition (as in literature, art, or music) executed in a fixed or ideal form often with studied artistry and brilliant effect

b

: a scene, depiction, speech, or event that is obviously designed to have an imposing effect

2

: a realistic piece of stage scenery standing by itself

3

: a precisely planned and conducted military operation

an offensive set piece that caught the enemy off guard

4

sports : a carefully planned sequence of movements performed by the members of a team (as in soccer)

A set piece can be used on either a direct or indirect type of [free] kick, providing one of the few times during the game that a team can execute something that it may have spent hours practicing.

—Doug Roberson

set-piece

ˈset-ˌpēs 

adjective

Examples of set piece in a Sentence

a movie with some lovely set pieces

She scored with a set piece.

Recent Examples on the Web

United resorted to set pieces, with Eriksen seizing on free kicks around halfway as a chance to get the ball into the box. —Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024

This blend of practical set pieces, humorous tunes, and visual depictions of how Rudy’s mind interprets every sound is an idiosyncratic marvel. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024

Release Date: New Apple iPhone Update Confirmed Liverpool’s Marginal Gains Are Huge Brentford (making the most of its home games with seven wins) catching teams cold from the start and Arsenal’s threat from set pieces are examples of sides stealing an edge over opponents. —Henry Flynn, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024

With all due respect to Logan, this is Mangold’s Western, featuring excellent performances and a streamlined narrative highlighted by spartan but dynamic action set pieces. —Will Leitch, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1a