to settle

Examples

• All

• Let's settle the books on the shelf in alphabetical order.

• Casi swallowed the lump that rose in her throat, watching the quiet man settle himself at the table his more boisterous friends had taken over.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Then we sort of settle them down with like making them present in the room.

• All right, let's just settle this by a show of hands, please?

  Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

• Me and Al will come over in a little while and settle all the arrangements with you.

  Going in Style (1979)

• At five o'clock, I gave up and settled in front of the TV to watch the evening news.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Sometimes you just need to bust out your dearheart Mother Mary plate and settle in with some good eats.

  Blog text (28)

• We scooped the laundry into a row of dryers and settled on the bench to wait.

  Fiction book (1999)

• Miss Setterington offered a chair set before a delicate walnut writing desk, and Adorna settled into it.

  Fiction book (2000)

• Please settle your papers neatly on the desk before the meeting.

Synonyms

A

to arrange

vsto settle

162 1.7

To put things or information in a clear, neat order

is about placing items to reach a chosen final order

P

to position

vsto settle

159 2.5

To put something in a particular place carefully

emphasizes final order rather than careful single placement

R

to rearrange

vsto settle

48 2.1

To move things so they are in a new order

is about making items reach the chosen order first rather than altering them later

T

to tidy up

vsto settle

• Informal

32 1.5

Make a room or desk neat by putting things in their right place

aims specifically at producing a chosen sequence rather than general neatness

S

to straighten up

vsto settle

8 2.7

Make a room neat by putting things away

focuses on setting items into a required sequence instead of general tidying

D

to dispose

vsto settle

4 3.9

To put things in a particular order or position

focuses more on establishing a desired overall order

P

to preposition

vsto settle

3 8.9

To place something somewhere before it is needed

focuses on getting items into their chosen order now rather than earlier

C

to collocate

vsto settle

7.4

To put things next to each other in a certain order

is broader covering placement to achieve any wanted order

Antonyms

S

to scatter

187 2.8

To spread small things like leaves or seeds over an area without order

D

to disarrange

1 6.4

To make something messy or not in the right order

Idioms

S

to settle a score

• Offensive

2 6.2

To get revenge for something someone did to you

S

to settle someone's hash

• Slang

9.3

To punish or defeat someone to stop their harmful actions

S

stay hungry and never settle

8.8

To keep wanting more and trying to improve without accepting being average

Phrasal Verbs

S

to settle down

173 3.0

To start living a quiet, steady life by having a regular job or a family

S

to settle for

143 3.6

Accept less than you wanted or hoped for

S

to settle in

132 3.3

To start to feel comfortable and at home in a new place or job

S

to settle down

56 2.5

To become quiet and calm after being excited

S

to settle on

55 3.1

To fix your eyes or attention on one thing

S

to settle into

41 3.3

Become comfortable in a new place, job, or routine

S

to settle with

22 4.1

To reach an agreement with someone to end a dispute

S

to settle down

• Specialized

22 3.1

To come to rest on a surface, like dust or snow

S

to settle for less

9 4.5

To accept something worse than what you want or deserve

S

to settle a disagreement

1 3.1

Make people or groups agree after an argument

S

to settle upon

1 3.9

To pick one thing after thinking about the choices

G

to grow up and settle down

3.4

Become an adult and start a steady life with a job or family

How Organized

to systematize

• US

3 6.7

to organize

• US

662 1.6

to settle

5 3.0

to arrange

162 1.7

tidy

47 1.0

scatter

8 4.0

Surface Forms

Etymology