From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishset the stage for somethingset the stage for somethingPREPAREto prepare for something or make something possible Will this agreement merely set the stage for another war? → stage
Examples from the Corpus
set the stage for something• But later the deputies set the stage for possible compromise by agreeing to debate a referendum after all.• Each stage of development effectively sets the stage for the next.• Thus, it further sets the stage for later discussion of the other four pillars.• The changes that occurred as a result of this rethinking set the stage for Workplace 2000.• But that simply set the stage for a final, beautiful flourish from Robins.• That sets the stage for the matrix arrangement.• The vote set the stage for a government-wide review and partial rollback of affirmative action programs. 