to understand the relationship between different ideas or experiences.

It took years of hard work to connect the dots between the murder and the suspect.

Etymology: from a children's activity in which a picture can be seen when you draw lines to connect numbered dots (= small, round marks)

• serve someone right
• serve time
• serve up
• serve up something
• serve you right
• set about
• set about doing something
• set about something
• set alarm bells ringing
• set apart
• set apart from someone
• set aside
• set aside something
• set back
• set back something
• set down
• set down something
• set eyes on
• set eyes on someone
• set eyes on something
• set face against
• set face against doing something
• set face against something
• set foot in
• set foot in somewhere