set great store by

set great store by (something or someone)

To have much faith, confidence, or belief in someone or something; to very seriously care about, appreciate, or respect someone or something. It is important that one sets great store by one's friends, for it is to them one must turn when life becomes difficult. My brother is not one to set great store by obeying social rules or etiquette.
See also: by, great, set, store
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

set great store by someone or something

to have positive expectations for someone or something; to have high hopes for someone or something. I set great store by my computer and its ability to help me in my work. Bill sets great store by his expensive tools.
See also: by, great, set, store
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

set great store by, to

To value highly. This phrase uses store in the sense of something precious, a usage dating from Chaucer’s time but now obsolete except here. It has also been put as set little or no store by, meaning to value scarcely or not at all. Laurence Sterne used it in Sentimental Journey (1768), writing about a starling: “The bird had little or no store set by him.”
See also: great, set, store
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • better of
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
  • be rough on (someone or something)
References in classic literature
Thus, the provision department, who plundered the clothes-presses and the harness-rooms, attached very little value to things which tailors and saddlers set great store by. Anxious to carry home to their wives presents given them by monseigneur, many were seen bounding joyously along, under the weight of earthen jars and bottles, gloriously stamped with the arms of the prince.
The Man in the Iron Mask
If she has a kind of a dull time with Mirandy, on account o' her bein' so sharp, why of course she'd set great store by your comp'ny.
Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm
Marshall's brother Alexander had a dog he set great store by, and when it died the man actilly wanted to have it buried in the graveyard, `along with the other Christians,' he said.
Annes House of Dreams
Politicians and others set great store by "consumer choice".
Licence is a tax on owning a TV set
'I set great store by China-Philippines relations and value my personal friendship with you, Mr.
Xi, in letter, tells Duterte: Our tree will bear more fruits
In any case, how are they going to set great store by principles when all they look out for is how to make money for themselves at the expense of the system and the Nigerian people?
Politicians and governance in Nigeria
The party has always set great store by ideological and theoretical innovation, and Xi is clearly intent on continuing the tradition.
President Xi has grand plan to make China great again
"We set great store by offering our staff the personal and professional support they need in order to become outstanding specialists and managers," said Steigenberger Hotels AG vice president of human resources Roberto Rojas.
Steigenberger to offer employees higher education
"They set great store by the new Community Protection Notice but as we all know, these are reactive and of little value to attack victims as a 'one-off ' attack by a dog can be life-threatening and life-changing." Caerau councillor Peter Bradbury spoke of the experience of an 18-yearold in his ward who was attacked by a dog as she got off the bus last week.
Call for owner notices to bring dogs under control
The Boparans set up a charitable fund in their son's name.They are Sikhs, people who set great store by family pride.
Son has brought shame on family
States, especially Western European states, set great store by being seen to be upholding the law.
Palestine: time to stop buying time
India and the United States set great store by the economic potential of their ties, but their relationship has been fraught in recent years.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepts invite to visit US in September
We set great store by BIMSTEC cooperation in the years ahead, for which this Summit should play a critical role," he added.
Manmohan Singh leaves for Myanmar to attend 3rd BIMSTEC summit
Our customers - a young target group who set great store by styling, dynamism and independence - can now start looking forward to a dynamic high-performance car," said Tobias Moers, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
The GLA 45 AMG concept showcased at the LA Auto Show