1. Bring to an end; come to a final conclusion
   "The case was settled";
   - decide, resolve, adjudicate
    
2. Settle conclusively; come to terms
   "We finally settled the argument";
   - square off, square up, determine
    
3. Take up residence and become established
   "The immigrants settled in the Midwest";
   - locate
    
4. Fall slowly to a stable position, usually on a surface or the ground
   "dust settled on the roofs";
   - settle down
    
5. Restore friendly relations after a disagreement or conflict
   "After arguing, the sisters finally settled and hugged";
   - reconcile, patch up, make up, conciliate [archaic]
    
6. End a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement
   "The two parties finally settled"
    
7. Become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style
   "He finally settled down";
   - root, take root, steady down, settle down
    
8. Become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet
   "it is settling to rain"; "A cough settled in her chest"; "Her mood settled into lethargy"; "The roar settled to a thunder"; "The wind settled in the West"
    
9. Establish or develop as a residence
   "He settled the farm 200 years ago"; "This land was settled by Germans"
    
10. Arrange or fix in the desired order
    "She settled the teacart"
     
11. Accept despite lack of complete satisfaction
    "We settled for a lower price"
     
12. Dispose of; make a financial settlement
    "They settled the estate after the owner's death"; "The company settled the lawsuit out of court"
     
13. Come to rest
    "The birds settled on the tree branches"; "The dust settled on the furniture"
     
14. Become clear by the sinking of particles
    "the liquid gradually settled"
     
15. Cause to become clear by forming a sediment (of liquids)
    "We let the wine settle before serving it"
     
16. Sink down or precipitate
    "the mud settles when the waters become calm";
    - subside
     
17. Fix firmly
    "He settled himself in the chair";
    - ensconce
     
18. Get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury
    "I finally settled with my old enemy";
    - get back
     
19. Make final; put the last touches on; put into final form
    "let's settle the proposal";
    - finalize, finalise [Brit], nail down
     
20. Form a community
    "The Swedes settled in Minnesota"
     
21. Come as if by falling
    "Night settled";
    - fall, descend
     
22. (of a ship etc.) go under water
    "The damaged vessel settled into the depths";
    - sink, go down, go under

1. A long wooden bench with a back
   "The old settle by the fireplace was a cosy spot to sit";
   - settee [US]

Derived forms: settling, settles, settled

See also: travel

Type of: accept, act, agree, arrange, become, bench, build up, change, come, come down, conclude, concord, concur, consent, descend, develop, end, fight, fix up, form, get, go, go down, go for, halt, hold, lay, move, organise [Brit], organize, place, pose, position, put, resolve, set, set up, sink, stabilise [Brit], stabilize, stop, struggle, terminate

Encyclopedia: Settle, Matthew