SETTLE

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does settle mean? 

• SETTLE (noun)
  The noun SETTLE has 1 sense:

1. a long wooden bench with a back

  Familiarity information: SETTLE used as a noun is very rare.

• SETTLE (verb)
  The verb SETTLE has 22 senses:

1. settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
2. bring to an end; settle conclusively
3. settle conclusively; come to terms
4. take up residence and become established
5. come to terms
6. go under,
7. become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style
8. become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet
9. establish or develop as a residence
10. come to rest
11. become clear by the sinking of particles
12. arrange or fix in the desired order
13. accept despite complete satisfaction
14. end a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement
15. dispose of; make a financial settlement
16. cause to become clear by forming a sediment (of liquids)
17. sink down or precipitate
18. fix firmly
19. get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury
20. make final; put the last touches on; put into final form
21. form a community
22. come as if by falling

  Familiarity information: SETTLE used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SETTLE (noun)

Sense 1

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A long wooden bench with a back

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

settee; settle

Hypernyms ("settle" is a kind of...):

bench (a long seat for more than one person)

• SETTLE (verb)

Sense 1

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

settle down; settle

Context example:

dust settled on the roofs

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

sediment (settle as sediment)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Bring to an end; settle conclusively

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

resolve; adjudicate; decide; settle

Context examples:

The case was decided / The judge decided the case in favor of the plaintiff / The father adjudicated when the sons were quarreling over their inheritance

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

adjust (decide how much is to be paid on an insurance claim)

judge (determine the result of (a competition))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Settle conclusively; come to terms

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

square off; settle; square up; determine

Context example:

We finally settled the argument

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

conclude; resolve (reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

clear; solve (settle, as of a debt)

concert (settle by agreement)

clinch (settle conclusively)

compromise (settle by concession)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Take up residence and become established

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

settle; locate

Context example:

The immigrants settled in the Midwest

"Settle" entails doing...:

move (change residence, affiliation, or place of employment)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

colonise; colonize (settle as colonists or establish a colony (in))

resettle (settle in a new place)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 5

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Come to terms

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

patch up; conciliate; reconcile; settle; make up

Context example:

After some discussion we finally made up

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

agree; concord; concur; hold (be in accord; be in agreement)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

make peace (end hostilities)

appease; propitiate (make peace with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 6

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Go under,

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

go under; go down; sink; settle

Context example:

The raft sank and its occupants drowned

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

settle; subside (sink down or precipitate)

founder (sink below the surface)

submerge; submerse (sink below the surface; go under or as if under water)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 7

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

take root; steady down; settle down; root; settle

Context example:

He finally settled down

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

stabilise; stabilize (become stable or more stable)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

roost (settle down or stay, as if on a roost)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 8

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context examples:

The roar settled to a thunder / The wind settled in the West / it is settling to rain / A cough settled in her chest / Her mood settled into lethargy

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

become; get; go (enter or assume a certain state or condition)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 9

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Establish or develop as a residence

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context examples:

He settled the farm 200 years ago / This land was settled by Germans

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

build up; develop (change the use of and make available or usable)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 10

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Come to rest

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

halt; stop (come to a halt, stop moving)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 11

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become clear by the sinking of particles

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

the liquid gradually settled

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 12

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Arrange or fix in the desired order

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

She settled the teacart

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

arrange; set up (put into a proper or systematic order)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Accept despite complete satisfaction

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

We settled for a lower price

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

accept; consent; go for (give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 14

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

End a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The two parties finally settled

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

agree; concord; concur; hold (be in accord; be in agreement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 15

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Dispose of; make a financial settlement

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

arrange; fix up (make arrangements for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

liquidate (settle the affairs of by determining the debts and applying the assets to pay them off)

compensate; make up; pay; pay off (do or give something to somebody in return)

square (pay someone and settle a debt)

pay (discharge or settle)

prorate (make a proportional settlement or distribution)

clean up (dispose of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 16

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Cause to become clear by forming a sediment (of liquids)

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

sink (cause to sink)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 17

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Sink down or precipitate

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

subside; settle

Context example:

the mud subsides when the waters become calm

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

go down; go under; settle; sink (go under,)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 18

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Fix firmly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

ensconce; settle

Context example:

He ensconced himself in the chair

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

lay; place; pose; position; put; set (put into a certain place or abstract location)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sense 19

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

get back; settle

Context example:

I finally settled with my old enemy

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 20

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Make final; put the last touches on; put into final form

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

finalise; finalize; nail down; settle

Context example:

let's finalize the proposal

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

end; terminate (bring to an end or halt)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Also:

settle on (become fixed (on))

Sense 21

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Form a community

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The Swedes settled in Minnesota

"Settle" entails doing...:

migrate; transmigrate (move from one country or region to another and settle there)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "settle"):

homestead (settle land given by the government and occupy it as a homestead)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 22

settle [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Come as if by falling

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

descend; settle; fall

Context examples:

Night fell / Silence fell

Hypernyms (to "settle" is one way to...):

come (come to pass; arrive, as in due course)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s