to settle down
22
3.1
- phrasal verb
- /ˈsɛtəl daʊn/
- Specialized
:
asentarse
- The dust from the explosion slowly started to settle down, allowing us to see again.
All right, like every vacuiformer, as it heats up, the plastic bows up for a second before settling down and starting to droop.
- All right, like every vacuiformer, as it heats up, the plastic bows up for a second before settling down and starting to droop.
- You want to let this settle down, let your skin feel dry to the touch, not super dry, but just not wet like it is now.
Examples
-
After the storm, the water began to settle down, leaving a calm surface.
-
And the spacecraft, gently we hoped, settles down on the Martian surface.
-
Let things settle down a bit, so if you could just point me to a guest room.
-
So they found a place under a large mountain and settled down for the rest of the night.
Fiction book (1992) -
The heat and dust settled down late in the day, and the streets were crowded.
Fiction book (1993) -
The hot weather settled down, and he realized he should have planted months ago.
Fiction book (1998) -
I'm sorry this is all hitting you at the same time... but after it passes and things settle down, you can think about starting over.
-
The horses were moving at a fast trot and seemed to be settling down a bit.
Fiction book (1995) -
And so, in the dark, I hold hands with Gerry as he settles down between my mother and me.
Fiction book (1998) -
Finally, he found a Stooge-a-thon on Channel 78 and settled down to enjoy himself.
Fiction book (2001)
Synonyms
142
4.4
To sink and form a layer at the bottom of a liquid
Antonyms
How Settled
174
3.4
- Specialized
78
3.5
- Specialized
22
3.1
258
1.0
331
2.9
645
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'settle' (become calm/come to rest) together with 'down' suggests becoming grounded or established, so a B1 learner who knows the parts can infer a general sense of stabilizing or calming. However the specific life-stage meaning (marrying, getting a steady job, establishing a home) is a metaphorical extension of that notion and not fully predictable without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Settle down comes from watching dust or snow slowly fall and rest: the tiny bits settle and drop down onto a surface, so the phrase means 'come to rest on a surface'.