settle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   bring to an end

   settle conclusively

2. 2
   verb

   end a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement

   The two parties finally settled

3. 3
   verb

   accept despite lack of complete satisfaction

   We settled for a lower price

4. 4
   verb

   get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury

   I finally settled with my old enemy

5. 5
   verb

   arrange or fix in the desired order

   I settled the teacart before serving.

6. 6
   verb

   become clear by the sinking of particles

   the liquid gradually settled

7. 7
   verb

   settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground

   dust settled on the roofs

8. 8
   verb

   dispose of

   make a financial settlement

Etymology

From a merger of two verbs: * Middle English setlen, from Old English setlan (“to settle, seat, put to rest”), from Old English setl (“seat”) (compare Dutch zetelen (“to be established, settle”)) and * Middle English sahtlen, seihtlen (“to reconcile, calm, subside”), from Old English sahtlian, ġesehtlian (“to reconcile”), from Old English saht, seht (“settlement, agreement, reconciliation, peace”) (see saught, -le). German siedeln (“to settle”) is related to the former of the two verbs, but is not an immediate cognate of either of them.