Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - settle

(settles, settling, settled) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If people settle an argument or problem, or if something settles it, they solve it, for example by making a decision about who is right or about what to do. They agreed to try to settle their dispute by negotiation... Tomorrow’s vote is unlikely to settle the question of who will replace their leader. VERB: V n, V n 2. If people settle a legal dispute or if they settle, they agree to end the dispute without going to a court of law, for example by paying some money or by apologizing. In an attempt to settle the case, Molken has agreed to pay restitution... She got much less than she would have done if she had settled out of court... His company settled with the American authorities by paying a $200 million fine. VERB: V n, V, V with n 3. If you settle a bill or debt, you pay the amount that you owe. I settled the bill for my coffee and his two glasses of wine... They settled with Colin at the end of the evening. VERB: V n, V with n 4. If something is settled, it has all been decided and arranged. As far as we’re concerned, the matter is settled... VERB: usu passive, be V-ed 5. When people settle a place or in a place, or when a government settles them there, they start living there permanently. Refugees settling in Britain suffer from a number of problems... Thirty-thousand-million dollars is needed to settle the refugees. VERB: V prep/adv, V n, also V n prep/adv, V 6. If you settle yourself somewhere or settle somewhere, you sit down or make yourself comfortable. Albert settled himself on the sofa... Jessica settled into her chair with a small sigh of relief. VERB: V pron-refl prep/adv, V prep/adv 7. If something settles or if you settle it, it sinks slowly down and becomes still. A black dust settled on the walls... Once its impurities had settled, the oil could be graded... Tap each one firmly on your work surface to settle the mixture. VERB: V prep/adv, V, V n 8. If your eyes settle on or upon something, you stop looking around and look at that thing for some time. The man let his eyes settle upon Cross’s face. = rest VERB: V on/upon n 9. When birds or insects settle on something, they land on it from above. Moths flew in front of it, eventually settling on the rough painted metal. = light VERB: V on n 10. when the dust settles: see dust to settle a score: see score see also settled