1with object Resolve or reach an agreement about (an argument or problem)

1. 1.1 End (a legal dispute) by mutual agreement.
   if the dispute was not settled it was possible there would be strike action

   no object he sued for libel and then settled out of court

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Last week, it settled an anti-trust dispute with Sun, perhaps its most vociferous opponent in the computer industry, for $2 billion.
   • For this reason, a majority of disputes are settled out of court.
   • I will ask attorneys to help the students settle any legal disputes stemming from this incident.
   • The dispute was settled out of court with VIA paying Intel an undisclosed sum of money.
   • In order to get the project off the ground, the ministry tried to privately settle its legal disputes with those original land owners.
   • To settle legal disputes via legal means is the best way.
   • Separately, Gizmondo has settled its long-running legal dispute with the Jordan Formula One operation, Tony Smith writes.
   • It was a genuine legal dispute that was settled without a judge ruling.
   • The Salford tenor settled a long-running legal dispute with a former management company two months ago but they say he has yet to pay up.
   • Wadiyar also pointed out that additional changes will be made once the legal dispute is settled.
   • That dispute was settled out of court when the three universities limited its use on campus.
   • The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed sum, with the woman agreeing not to make any public comment.
2. 1.2 Reach a decision about; determine.
   exactly what goes into the legislation has not been settled

   no object they had not yet settled on a date for the wedding

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The couple quickly settled on the name Bandit because the tiny creature had a black face with a white mask.
   • And there are signs that the name they finally settled on is deeply inappropriate.
   • No wonder the manager concedes he has not settled on a first-choice selection.
   • He explained that the level of contribution settled on by the councillors would, in effect, determine how much the council could spend over the next five years.
   • Ultimately, we settled on the design with the guest house, which we intended to rent out.
   • Historians have not settled on a good name for the centuries between Diocletian and Charlemagne, but this phrase is at least serviceable.
   • Surprisingly, however, there was very little conflict over the final numerical limit that was settled on.
   • Many delegates are complaining that most of the persons to be elected had been settled on by the major parties some time ago.
   • Incidentally, we still haven't settled on a name.
   • Pete finally settled on an arrangement that he was happy with, consisting of a butterfly and a long loop leading to a bowline on the bight.
   • Naturally, a strongest front pairing should be settled on.
   • We selected our booth and settled on a couple of margaritas while waiting for our host, Chef Rob Vaughn.
   • All in all, by the time Shirley had left, little had been settled on, and Charlie was even more tired than before.
   • Opponents of intelligent design have apparently settled on their strategy.
   • It is important to note that we have not yet settled on one specific approach.
   • Once the selectors had settled on Hartley to lead the attack filling the remaining five berths can't have presented many problems.
   • Not able to think of something better, Josh, Ben, Kevin, and Ryan settled on the name by default.
   • McCarthy yesterday refused to indicate who will figure in his team selection even though he confirmed he had settled on a team in his own mind.
   • She and Will had still not settled on a name for him, though she had taken to calling him Joshua.
   • At this point, I still haven't settled on a name for her, but I keep leaning towards Valentine, with Tiny being her nickname.

   Synonyms

   decide on, set, fix, come to a decision about, agree on, name, determine, establish, arrange, arrive at, appoint, designate, assign

   confirm

   choose, select, pick
3. 1.3settle forno object Accept or agree to (something that one considers to be less than satisfactory)
   it was too cold for champagne so they settled for a cup of tea

   Example sentencesExamples

   • We shouldn't be competing, just settling for what we are.
   • It makes a strong case for being selective about what you drive, and not merely settling for a sensible but dull car.
   • James never settles for second best and he put Charlestown on the map during those years in that International Festival with acts like Eurovision winner Johnny Logan.
   • But by settling for the current standard of cuisine, the Shore is unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
   • Lane improved their game in the second half and missed three good chances to win before settling for a point.
   • Fey, instead, settles for making fun of her subjects and simply accepting the fact that they're mean girls.
   • For Keane, it was self-induced, brought about by too many players at Old Trafford settling for less than they could have achieved.
   • Webster followed Klaffenbock closely, looking for a way through but with four laps to go, dropped back settling for second place.
   • I've toyed with a few ideas and am settling for a further simplification of the layout.
   • But in the long term it is difficult to see prosperous patients settling for second-class status.
   • They went to a more posh high school and I settled for the one down the road with considerably fewer amenities.
   • And yet we did it again on Saturday, getting too cautious and settling for what he had.
   • There are builders who sugarcoat their proposals with big-name architects, irresistible bait in a city that shamefully settles for the ordinary.
   • I ended up settling for a mushroom soup instead of a main course - though I could have had fish - and didn't regret it.
   • Almost every other jockey would have given up, settling for escaping injury, but not the champion.
   • And, when the scores were level near the end, instead of settling for a draw they went for a win, and gained it.
   • Today, however, we're settling for a short stint off the edge of an Auckland wharf.
   • One expensive Dublin secondary school I know is no longer settling for class trips to Paris or Rome.
   • As with mobile phones, it seems that consumers are settling for less than the industry expected to sell them.
   • At the moment we are settling for a round of applause.

   Synonyms

   accept, agree to, accede to, acquiesce in, assent to

   compromise on

2with object Pay (a debt or account)

1. 2.1settle something on Give money or property to (someone) through a deed of settlement or a will.
   he offered to settle £150 a year on her

   Example sentencesExamples

   • If I create a trust to dispose of all of my rights and interests, and I settle them on trustees, that is a trust despite the fact that it is not spelt out.

3no object Adopt a more steady or secure style of life, especially in a permanent job and home.

1. 3.1with adverbial of place Make one's permanent home somewhere.
   in 1863 the family settled in London

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Arcus had offices in Bangalore, Singapore and in Fremont, California, where Bhattacharya and his family settled around two decades ago.
   • By 1914 he bad discovered Brigus, Newfoundland, where he settled with his family.
   • In recent years, he liked to travel and visit members of his family who had settled abroad in New York, Boston, Paris and London.
   • He then returned to France and settled with his family in the village of Argenteuil, where he continued to work and sell paintings.
   • His family settled there in the 1880s, high Hollywood western time, about a decade after the Sioux beat Custer.
   • Born in Italy, he settled with his family in Massachusetts when he was 6.
   • We have a proud tradition of giving refuge to people fleeing persecution, and welcoming families who want to settle here and work.
   • After arriving in Melbourne from Foggia in 1938, Peter, then five, settled with his family in Carlton.
   • He grew up in Juarez and spent several years abroad before returning to Mexico to settle permanently with his family.
   • Bullock was raised in Nuremberg, Vienna and Salzburg, before the family settled back in Arlington when she was in her early teens.
   • In 1965 they moved to Swindon, where they settled and started a family.
   • He underwent an Evangelical conversion the following year and settled with the family of one Reverend Morley Unwin in 1765.
   • The family settled back in Virginia when Bullock was 13.
   • Later, Orr settled with his family in Dillon, where his mansion still stands.
   • I shrugged off my prejudices and decided to visit the state where my ancestors, along with hundreds of other Scottish families, had settled.
   • I settled here with my family to slowly build up relationships with the local community.
   • The first member of their family to settle in South Africa in 1679 was a gunsmith and many of his descendants have been involved in the gun trade.
   • Born in Limavady, Ulster, he emigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1870 and settled at Tamaki.
   • Jim Ronan, Bekan, who died recently, was a popular and esteemed gentleman in the parish of Bekan since the family settled there in 1967.
   • She settled at a family home in Morocco, where she spent eight years, studying at the American School of Tangier.

   Synonyms

   make one's home, set up home, take up residence, put down roots, establish oneself

   go to live, move to, emigrate to

   North American set up housekeeping in

   formal become domiciled in
2. 3.2with object Move with a group of others to live in a new country or area.
   European immigrants settled much of Australia

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Further abroad, he authorized the Evangelistic Grant Charter to settle the Colony of Virginia.
   • Back when colonies were first being settled, a group of colonists encountered a few of the Arai for the first time and immediately thought they were demons.
   • America had become an English-speaking colony, settled by emigrants from the Old Country who had largely supplanted its aboriginal population.
   • Other historic areas include Vincennes, on the site of a French fort, and New Harmony to the south, settled by German immigrants.
   • Kliptown was established in 1903 and settled by Indian, black and coloured communities which were moved from Newtown in the city centre.
   • From the eighteenth century legal doubt existed whether the religion established in England was also legally established in colonies settled by British subjects.
   • One of our favorite neighborhoods is Lincoln Square on the northwest side, originally settled by German immigrants.
   • When the colonies were first settled, he wrote, the towns sometimes provided relief for their care.

   Synonyms

   colonize, establish a colony in, occupy
3. 3.3 Begin to feel comfortable or established in a new situation.
   he had settled into his new job

   Example sentencesExamples

   • So, the threesome gathered around a fire, and as they settled in, he began to speak.
   • Later the Academy went back to the jury system and now seems settled into a fairly established routine without too many gaffes.
   • Back in New Zealand, the family is settling into Kiwi life and enjoying the sunny weather.
   • We settled in and I began to study the cards, playing my hand to the strict rules we'd learnt in Acton.
   • As people settled into established societies many centuries ago, they began looking for ways to protect their crops.
   • The family are settling into their new home in Walcot.
   • As Jim settled into the rhythm of riding, he began to think rationally.
   • By the time Sleater-Kinney released 2002's One Beat, the band had settled into a comfortable groove.
   • Eire Og took the lead from an Eric McCormack point as his side appeared to have settled into a comfortable rhythm.
   • In reply, Farncombe lost Gary Ekins in only the third over but Mike O'Mahoney and Asif Jan quickly settled into their innings and began to look dangerous.
   • She acknowledged them with a smile as she went to the big desk facing them at the front of the room, and settled in to begin the school day.
   • Once the two heroes had settled in they always looked in command of the situation until they created a ripple in the final over when only four were required to overhaul Essex's score.
   • The family seemed to settle into their new life, except for her mother, who flatly rejected the ‘immoral Austrian culture’.
   • Once the enemy has settled in and established their borders, they will begin to look for us.
   • In his autumn years, Thompson had settled into a comfortable routine of writing a sports column for ESPN.
   • ‘We've had a few days to settle in as a family and it's been fantastic,’ said Mrs Saville.
   • Over the next few days, Eric and Tess settled into a comfortable friendship as they got to know each other better.
   • According to the newspaper, Beckham became close to Ms Loos as she helped him and his family settle into their new life in Spain.
   • Now it will be largely up to non-government organisations like the Red Cross to help the families settle into Australian life.
   • They had all settled in and began working on the project when suddenly Meghan noticed a painting hanging on her friend's wall.
4. 3.4settle down to Turn one's attention to; apply oneself to.
   Catherine settled down to her studies

   Example sentencesExamples

   • It's hard settling down to hard thinking, connecting dots and writing the book while so much is going on every day and I'm getting such interesting emails!
   • Before settling down to a meal in the Keadeen Hotel, Chairperson of the host town committee, Teresa Harrison, welcomed the athletes to Newbridge.
   • Claudette couldn't concentrate on the epistle or the gospel, couldn't settle down to the rosary.
   • At its official launch in Portlaoise last Friday night the party wasted no time in setting out its stall for the coming two years and settling down to business.
   • At last, some good old trashy TV I can settle down to.
   • He said that when the holiday is over the players will be settling down to training with their sights set for further glory in 2005 for the purple and gold.
   • Girls who were interested in study had to be disciplined about settling down to homework as they had to go to bed at 8.30 in the evening after ‘prep’.
   • While her schoolmates are settling down to the first lessons of the day this morning, nine-year-old Alice Maddocks will be back in hospital.
   • Nor are they standard issue mature students, settling down to an MBA with bright thoughts of enhancing their business careers.
   • Yesterday I was finding it a little hard to get going so I figured I'd finally mow the lawn, since the grass wasn't damp and I could hear many lawn mowers buzzing in the area, before settling down to the computer.
   • The happy Finns travel en famille to the local steam baths and cleanse themselves before settling down to a meal of boiled codfish.
   • Pensioners at Wesley House flats in Tottington were just settling down to a quiet game of cards when a team of fire fighters burst into their communal room.
   • As Confederate and Union flags fluttered in the breeze the Ghostriders honed their shooting and axe-throwing skills before settling down to traditional cowboy fare outside their authentic tents.
   • But Lyndsey will make a quick dash to her home where she'll watch the remainder of the game before settling down to the books again and preparing for her final two exams in Biology and Art.
   • Peggy, a devout Roman Catholic, said her prayer: ‘Please, holy Mother, help them to put the ball in the right net’, before settling down to the game.
   • At around 10.30, after the departure of his dinner guests, he would settle down to two or three hours of work, frequently dictating beyond 2.30 am.
   • Making camp and starting a nice fire, we settle down to more of my nightly lessons.
   • And this is what we can settle down to in weeks ahead.
   • The products of well-to-do middle-class Argentine upbringings, both wanted to fulfill a restless urge to see the rest of South America before settling down to their medical careers.
   • As A-level results arrive, 18-year-olds all over Britain are packing their rucksacks ready for a year of adventure before settling down to university.

   Synonyms

   apply oneself to, turn one's attention to, address oneself to, get down to, set about, set to work on, begin to tackle, attack

   concentrate on, focus on, devote oneself to
5. 3.5 Become or make calmer or quieter.
   no object after a few months the controversy settled down

   with object try to settle your puppy down before going to bed

   Example sentencesExamples

   • ‘We will have an official opening when everything has settled down, but we might have a cake and let balloons go on that day,’ she said.
   • The exchanges in this Aegon West Lancashire League Division One match then settled down until the referee awarded Springfields a penalty that was well saved by Russ Sharpe.
   • The bus driver pulled over to get the commuters to settle down.
   • So Mrs. Sebright calls for us to settle down and to pull out our worksheets about atoms.
   • Since the harrowing scene with Elanor, he'd been unable to settle down even for a moment.
   • After the crowd settled down, Palahniuk read a story from Haunted.
   • Unable to drive properly while laughing, Derek pulled over to the side of the road to settle down.
   • Both boys heard the message and settled down, and Mary's friend Toni remained composed.
   • The firemen did heave a sigh of relief after pulling the deer out, but did not settle down and relax.
   • He admired the way the players settled down after a harrowing opening against a very enthusiastic Navan, and felt that Kilkenny finished the stronger team.
   • They haven't settled down just because their old foe is gone.
   • His quiet voice was commanding and proved effective as the pair settled down.
   • The crowd settled down, the coach calmed the players and gave them a plan.
   • I've finally settled down after the weekend's upheaval.
   • However, at the actual vet's surgery he was very quiet and settled down nicely.
   • For the first time I settled down, got calm and gained just a teensy bit of perspective.
   • After this hectic opening, things settled down and it was eight minutes before Larry Cadden sent over a nice point for Calry-St Joseph's.
   • As one reluctant boy settled down, he said, ‘Mommy, you know one day I'm going to walk on the moon.’
   • After this memorable trip, things settled down.
   • After she left, Zack settled down (I suspect he was acting up only to get her attention) and finished his food.

   Synonyms

   calm down, quieten down, be quiet, be still, relax

   calm, calm down, quieten, quiet, soothe, compose, pacify, lull, subdue, quell

   sedate, tranquillize
6. 3.6dated with object Silence (a troublesome person) by some means.
   he told me to hold my tongue or he would find a way to settle me

4no object, with adverbial of place Sit or come to rest in a comfortable position.

1. 4.1with object and adverbial of place Make (someone) comfortable in a particular place or position.
   she allowed him to settle her in the taxi

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Chase settled me on the mattress before stepping back to lean against the windows, his eyes never breaking contact with mine.
   • But one morning, I got up to see him at 5am, then settled him back in his cot.
   • He found her huddled near the warmth of the boiler room when he opened that morning and settled her in a coat hangar box with a towel and some food.
   • When he felt no rush of apprehension, he pulled his blanket over her shoulders and settled her into a comfortable position.
   • They were both laughing and giggling as William carried her into the main hall and settled her comfortably in a couch.
   • Michael carried me to a comfortable stuffed chair and settled me there.
   • He was eventually settled in his cot by his father at 6am on December 10, 1997 but Patel found him not breathing when she went to check on him three hours later.
   • With that, she took Brady to her bedroom and settled him on top of her comforter.
   • Finally, he allowed her to pick him up, settling him in her lap.

   Synonyms

   make comfortable, tuck in, bed down
2. 4.2with object Move or adjust (something) so that it rests securely.
   she settled her bag on her shoulder

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Rowena settled the receiver as securely as she could against her shoulder.
   • He quickly looked down to settle the tray securely across her lap.
   • A silence fell between them then, as he leaned over and picked up his guitar, settling it flat in his lap to adjust the strap.
3. 4.3 (especially of snow) fall on to a surface and remain there.
   traffic came to a standstill after the snow began to settle

   dust from the mill had settled on the roof

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Reaching over her opposite shoulder, Ali drew the sword that was strapped there, flicking her wrist to scatter the drops of moisture that had settled on the metal surface.
   • Strands of her black hair swayed in the wind and the rest settled just under her neck.
   • Some of the debris was still glowing and proceeded to roll down roofs to settle in gutters, on the ground, on window ledges and on cars.
   • There were bodies everywhere, with dust slowly settling to the floor.
   • And then ten minutes later, an uneven mess stared at me from the mirror, while strands of hair settled on surfaces all over the bathroom.
   • It was a bitterly cold day, but it was bright and still; no wind blew, no drops fell and no snow settled.
   • Latex dust also settles on horizontal surfaces throughout the OR and can become airborne again with subsequent agitation.
   • She lifted the dress above her head and let it fall, feeling it settle against her skin.
   • Slowly the dust settled over the motionless heap at the foot of the cliff.
   • But whereas they were once crisp, motes of dust and household lint had now settled leaving the surface grimy.
   • One is from lead-rich automobile exhaust particles settling on both grapes and soil.
   • He was once again in his room, but now he didn't care about the dust that had settled slowly on the surfaces.
   • The dust particles also settle on the vegetation and farm plantations affecting and retarding growth of produce.
   • A rain of parchment flakes settled on the surface of the desk.
   • Fortunately the snow was not falling anymore but had settled on the ground, house tops, trees, and the mountains, a couple inches thick.
   • Hepa vacuums are also recommended for cleanup of dust that may have settled on surfaces outside the remediation area.
   • This is a U-shaped passage in which fine particles settle, allowing air to continue on freed of most contamination.
   • That means a lot less fine dust in the air that will settle on room surfaces.
4. 4.4no object (of suspended particles) sink slowly in a liquid to form sediment.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Rhynie fossils were preserved when mineral sediments settled around and on top of the organic matter and compressed them.
   • Salt marshes form in shallow, quiet water, where the water is salty and still enough for the suspended particles to settle to the bottom.
   • The dispersed particles do not remain suspended indefinitely but eventually settle to the bottom of the container because of the gravitational pull.
   • Clogged weirs slowed the current even more, encouraging ever-finer suspended sediments to settle.
   • In a muddy river such as the St. Jones, weirs slowed the current enough to allow even more suspended sediment to settle.
   • The sediment load is settling out with the passage of time and the purifying influence of cattails and bulrushes.
   • Larger particles are supposed to settle to the bottom of the tanks, and eventually be sent to sewage treatment plants.
   • I had no choice but to wait for the sediment to settle.
   • Ideally, red and fortified wines should stand upright for about a week before the event to adjust slowly to the increased temperature and to enable any sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle.
   • Fill a jug and leave it to stand until the sediment has settled, then use the clear water at the top.
   • Fine sediment remains in suspension much longer and travels far out to sea, where it settles slowly to the bottom.
   • The sediment will settle in a thick layer at the bottom.
   • Sediments that settle out of ballast water also stay behind.
   • They also say that since it is so polluted, it must be stored in tanks until the sediments settle, at which point it can be processed, if necessary, through a sewage treatment plant.
   • The silt is the next heaviest particle, and should settle during the next four hours.
   • As a current slows, progressively smaller particles settle out and form fine-grained sediment.
   • The pepper slowly settled to the bottom of the glass leaving a few grains on the surface which Bond dabbed up with the tip of a finger.
   • I set off late to give the sediment time to settle, and I headed off from the jetty to the west side of the tiny island of Renggis nearby.
   • Begin by placing the cordial container on a level surface to allow the sediment to settle.
   • Sedimentation makes heavier liquids or particles settle at the bottom of a container, as when sugar added to coffee settles at the bottom of the cup.

   Synonyms

   sink, subside, fall, gravitate

   precipitate out
5. 4.5 (of a liquid) become clear or still as suspended particles sink.
   he watched his pint settling

   Example sentencesExamples

   • As the water settled and all became placid again only the wrecked and sinking craft remained, alone in the sea.
6. 4.6no object (of an object or objects) gradually sink down under its or their own weight.
   they listened to the soft ticking and creaking as the house settled

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Allow the posts to stand several days and settle firmly in position before adding the fence.
   • That clock had been audible in the hall, especially at night when the house had settled.
7. 4.7no object (of a ship) begin to sink.
   the craft was settling nose-down in the water

   Example sentencesExamples

   • In a patch of calm sea it hopped repeatedly until it settled and sank.
   • Scuttling teams hope she will settle upright, as have sister ships Perth in Western Australia and Hobart off South Australia, on the sandy seabed.
   • All 130 passengers got off safely, and a salvage job removed some of the machinery to safety before the ship began to settle.
   • Although the rudder is amidships, it could simply have fallen to that line as the wreck settled to its starboard side.
   • Yet more bombs further damaged the submarine, which began to settle by the stern.

A wooden bench with a high back and arms, typically incorporating a box under the seat.