settle

¹ American  

[set-l] / ˈsɛt l /

verb (used with object)

• settles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• settled,
  past participle,  past
• settling
  present participle

1. to appoint, fix, or resolve definitely and conclusively; agree upon (as time, price, or conditions).

   Synonyms:

   determine, decide, set

2. to place in a desired state or in order.

   to settle one's affairs.

3. to pay, as a bill.

4. to close (an account) by payment.

   Synonyms:

   liquidate

5. to migrate to and organize (an area, territory, etc.); colonize.

   The pilgrims settled Plymouth.

6. to cause to take up residence.

   They settled immigrants in urban areas.

   Synonyms:

   relocate

7. to furnish (a place) with inhabitants or settlers.

   The French settled this colony with army veterans.

   Synonyms:

   colonize, people

8. to quiet, calm, or bring to rest (the nerves, stomach, etc.).

9. to stop from annoying or opposing.

   A sharp word will settle that youngster.

   Synonyms:

   pacify, still, compose, tranquilize

10. to conclude or resolve.

    to settle a dispute.

11. to make (someone) comfortable or snug.

12. to make stable; place in a permanent position or on a permanent basis.

    Synonyms:

    establish, stabilize

13. to cause (a liquid) to become clear by depositing dregs.

14. to cause (dregs, sediment, etc.) to sink or be deposited.

15. to cause to sink down gradually; make firm or compact.

16. to dispose of finally; close up.

    to settle an estate.

17. Law.

    1. to secure (property, title, etc.) on or to a person by formal or legal process.

    2. to terminate (legal proceedings) by mutual consent of the parties.

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verb (used without object)

• settles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• settled,
  past participle,  past
• settling
  present participle

1. to decide, arrange, or agree (often followed by on orupon ).

   to settle on a plan of action.

2. to arrange matters in dispute; come to an agreement.

   to settle with a person.

3. to pay a bill; make a financial arrangement (often followed byup ).

4. to take up residence in a new country or place.

   Many Frenchmen settled along the Mississippi River following La Salle's explorations.

   Synonyms:

   locate, relocate

5. to come to rest, as from flight.

   A bird settled on a bough.

6. to gather, collect, or become fixed in a particular place, direction, etc..

   A cold settled in my head.

7. to become calm or composed (often followed bydown ).

   I'll wait until the class settles before starting the lesson.

8. to come to rest (often followed bydown ).

   We settled down for the night at an old country inn.

9. to sink down gradually; subside.

   Synonyms:

   abate, fall, decline

10. to become clear by the sinking of suspended particles, as a liquid.

11. to sink to the bottom, as sediment.

12. to become firm or compact, as the ground.

13. (of a female animal) to become pregnant; conceive.

verb phrase

1. settle into to become established in.

   to settle into a new routine.

2. settle for to be satisfied with.

   to settle for less.

3. settle down

   1. to become established in some routine, especially upon marrying, after a period of independence or indecision.

   2. to become calm or quiet.

   3. to apply oneself to serious work.

      There were so many distractions that we weren't able to settle down to studying.

settle ² American  

[set-l] / ˈsɛt l /

noun

1. a long seat or bench, usually wooden, with arms and a high back.

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settle ¹ British  

/ ˈsɛtəl /

verb

1. (tr) to put in order; arrange in a desired state or condition

   he settled his affairs before he died

2. to arrange or be arranged in a fixed or comfortable position

   he settled himself by the fire

3. (intr) to come to rest or a halt

   a bird settled on the hedge

4. to take up or cause to take up residence

   the family settled in the country

5. to establish or become established in a way of life, job, residence, etc

6. (tr) to migrate to and form a community; colonize

7. to make or become quiet, calm, or stable

8. (intr) to be cast or spread; come down

   fog settled over a wide area

9. to make (a liquid) clear or (of a liquid) to become clear; clarify

10. to cause (sediment) to sink to the bottom, as in a liquid, or (of sediment) to sink thus

11. to subside or cause to subside and become firm or compact

    the dust settled

12. (sometimes foll by up) to pay off or account for (a bill, debt, etc)

13. (tr) to decide, conclude, or dispose of

    to settle an argument

14. (intr; often foll by on or upon) to agree or fix

    to settle upon a plan

15. (tr; usually foll by on or upon) to secure (title, property, etc) to a person, as by making a deed of settlement, will, etc

    he settled his property on his wife

16. to determine (a legal dispute, etc) by agreement of the parties without resort to court action (esp in the phrase settle out of court )

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settle ² British  

/ ˈsɛtəl /

noun

1. a seat, for two or more people, usually made of wood with a high back and arms, and sometimes having a storage space in the boxlike seat

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• settleability
  noun
• settledness
  noun
• quasi-settled
  adjective
• settleable
  adjective
• unsettleable
  adjective
• well-settled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• settling
  present
• settled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• settle
  simple
• settles
  simple
• have settled
  perfect
• has settled
  perfect
• am settling
  progressive
• are settling
  progressive
• is settling
  progressive
• have been settling
  perfect progressive
• has been settling
  perfect progressive

Past

• settled
  simple
• had settled
  perfect
• was settling
  progressive
• were settling
  progressive
• had been settling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will settle
  simple
• will have settled
  perfect
• will be settling
  progressive
• will have been settling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of settle¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English setlen, setel(le) “to seat, place in a seat, be seated; sink down; descend,” Old English setlan (attested once) “to settle, seat, take a position of rest,” derivative of setl settle ²; compare Dutch zetelen

Origin of settle²

First recorded before 900; Middle English setle, setel(e), settel “seat, chair, bench, place for sitting,” Old English setl, sedl, sethl; cognate with German Sessel “armchair,” Gothic sitls “seat,” Latin sella (from unrecorded sedla “saddle”; akin to sit ¹

Explanation

To settle means to come to order or rest, much as snow settles on the ground or dust settles on the dining room table. Settle has a number of meanings. After moving several times, you'll wish your parents would settle in one place for the rest of your school years. Have you ever heard your house creaking or groaning? That's the house settling. When adults tell children to calm down, they'll often say, "Settle down kids!" And as a legal term, you settle a lawsuit when the accuser and the accused come to an agreement without going to court.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

settle settles settled settling

Darren Michael was reinstated by the Austin Peay State University and in January, the school agreed to pay him $500,000 to settle legal claims.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

It usually takes one to two weeks for vaccines to settle, Dresser said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

I could also put down a substantial good-faith deposit and settle the balance at the end of the day if the total exceeds the deposit.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

The court issued a brief order Thursday to end a dispute that Justice Brett Kavanaugh had already tried to settle earlier this week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

We settle into our nighttime routines, and it feels oddly ordinary.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

As the new prime minister's universe settles, a key Labour figure observed: "We've had the amuse–bouche and it was very tasty. What happens next?"

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Brent settles up 3.4% at $101.21 a barrel, and WTI rises 3.2% to $96.05.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

And he worries that when the supply chain dust settles, it will be him that picks up the bill.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

Denied, he settles for iced tea, but encourages me to eat with the geniality and concern of a grandparent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

She settles in against her pillows, and I can see for sure that the wall over her bed is bare.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

It had given an impression of tensions as Prince Harry and Meghan settled into life in the UK.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

A five-tier funfetti cake had been airlifted in from Florida, and helicopters and seaplanes descended on the islands before guests settled into their oceanfront villas.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

They settled that case in January; the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

A more than hourlong visit from a Netflix executive settled it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Then it settled down and blew with a high whining sound.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Oil prices moderated, with Brent crude futures settling at $104.61 a barrel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Fruit, juices, clothes, shoes, peanuts -- Lobe Sarr has turned her hand to various wares over the last 15 years, finally settling on a small street eatery in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

Go for drinks and oysters with friends, or indulge as an appetizer before settling in for dinner.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

They looked at four units in central Connecticut, and ended up settling on one that was close to work, which was a priority for him.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

I wait a long time with my face upturned toward the sky, and when at last I give up, dusk is settling over the mountains.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

• achieve
• clear
• complete
• conclude
• decide
• determine
• end
• establish
• fix
• negotiate
• pay
• put an end to
• work out