set foot in
set foot in — phrasal verb
- sets foot in3rd person singular
- setting foot in-ing form
- set foot inpast simple
1. to go inside a specified place — used almost always in sentences that deny or fo
to go inside a specified place — used almost always in sentences that deny or forbid entry (after words like 'never', 'not', 'refuse', 'won't') or in conditional clauses that warn of consequences.
Constanza has not set foot in her hometown since she left for university at eighteen.
present perfect: has not + set foot in [place]
Lukas swore he would never set foot in that garage again after the mechanic cheated him.
swore would never + set foot in [place]
If Sayaka ever sets foot in this office again, the security guard has instructions to remove her.
Obi refused to set foot in the tiny lift, so he climbed twelve flights of stairs instead.
Kevin would not set foot in the kitchen while his flatmate was cooking fish.
- enter
neutral and versatile; works in any register without emotional overtones
- go into
everyday spoken equivalent; natural in casual conversation but lacks emphasis
- step inside
emphasises the physical motion of crossing a doorway; can be neutral or inviting
- leave
the direct opposite — exiting rather than entering
- stay away from
focuses on deliberate avoidance rather than the act of entering
文法句型
never / not + set foot in [place]
refuse to + set foot in [place]
if + [subject] + ever + set foot in [place]
dare (not) + set foot in [place]
will/would not + set foot in [place]
用法筆記
Unlike 'enter' or 'go into', this phrase carries emotional weight and almost never appears in plain positive statements. A sentence like 'I set foot in the library yesterday' would strike a native speaker as odd. The phrase always implies some resistance, prohibition, or condition — you use it to talk about not going somewhere, not about going somewhere.