/ ˈsetl; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
END ARGUMENT
1.
to put an end to an argument or a disagreement :
[ vn ]
to settle a dispute / an argument / a matter
It's time you settled your differences with your father.
[ v ]
There is pressure on the unions to settle.
The company has agreed to settle out of court (= come to an agreement without going to court) .
DECIDE / ARRANGE
2.
to decide or arrange sth finally :
[ vn ] [ often passive ]:
It's all settled —we're leaving on the nine o'clock plane.
Bob will be there? That settles it . I'm not coming.
He had to settle his affairs (= arrange all his personal business) in Paris before he could return home.
[also vn that ]
CHOOSE PERMANENT HOME
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to make a place your permanent home :
She settled in Vienna after her father's death.
4.
( of a group of people ) to make your permanent home in a country or an area as colonists :
[ vn ] [ usually passive ]:
This region was settled by the Dutch in the nineteenth century.
[also v ]
INTO COMFORTABLE POSITION / STATE
5.
settle (back) to make yourself or sb else comfortable in a new position :
[ v ]
Ellie settled back in her seat.
[ vn ]
He settled himself comfortably in his usual chair.
I settled her on the sofa and put a blanket over her.
6.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] to put sth carefully in a position so that it does not move :
She settled the blanket around her knees.
7.
to become or make sb/sth become calm or relaxed :
[ v ]
The baby wouldn't settle.
[ vn ]
I took a pill to help settle my nerves.
This should settle your stomach.
COME TO REST
8.
[ v ] settle (on / over sth) to fall from above and come to rest on sth; to stay for some time on sth :
Dust had settled on everything.
Two birds settled on the fence.
I don't think the snow will settle (= remain on the ground without melting) .
His gaze settled on her face.
SINK DOWN
9.
to sink slowly down; to make sth do this :
[ v ]
The contents of the package may have settled in transit.
[also vn ]
PAY MONEY
10.
settle sth | settle (up) (with sb) to pay the money that you owe :
[ vn ]
Please settle your bill before leaving the hotel.
The insurance company is refusing to settle her claim.
[ v ]
Let me settle with you for the meal.
I'll pay now—we can settle up later.
•
IDIOMS
- settle a score / an account (with sb) | settle an old score
—more at dust noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- settle down
- settle down | settle sb down
- settle (down) to sth
- settle for sth
- settle in | settle into sth
- settle on sth
- settle sth on sb
■ noun
an old-fashioned piece of furniture with a long wooden seat and a high back and arms, often also with a box for storing things under the seat
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and idsym. pvsym. Old English setlan to seat, place , from the noun settle .
noun Old English setl a place to sit , of Germanic origin; related to German Sessel and Latin sella seat, also to sit .