settle
gb/sˈɛtəl/ us/sˈɛtəl/
A2
Anglais
~ 1400
Sens
0 sens
Verbe
B1
action
1
Resolve a conflict or problem
To end a fight or problem by agreeing on something.
Schéma d’usage :
to settle [a dispute/problem]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'settle' with 'solve'; 'settle' often implies agreement between people, while 'solve' is for problems or puzzles without negotiation.
Synonymes
resolve (More formal and general; can apply to both problems and equations.)
Antonymes
provoke (To cause or worsen a disagreement instead of ending it.)
Collocations
settle a dispute
|settle a lawsuit
|settle differences
|settle a claim
Thèmes
daily life
|business
|law
|relationships
Exemples
- They finally settled their differences after years of arguing.
- The two companies settled the lawsuit out of court.
- We need to settle this issue before moving forward.
- She settled the dispute by offering a fair compromise.
Exemples pédagogiques
- They settled the fight.
- The two men settled the problem.
- We settled the question in class.
- They settled the case quickly.
Verbe
A2
action
2
Make a permanent home
To start living in a place for a long time.
Schéma d’usage :
to settle in/at [a place]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse 'settle' with 'stay'; 'settle' implies long-term residence, not a short visit.
Synonymes
relocate (Focuses on the act of moving; does not always imply permanence like 'settle'.)
Antonymes
leave (To go away from a place instead of staying there.)
Collocations
settle in a new city
|settle abroad
|settle permanently
Thèmes
daily life
|travel
|housing
Exemples
- They settled in Canada after the war.
- The family settled in a small village by the sea.
- He finally settled in New York after years of moving around.
- Many immigrants settled in urban areas.
Exemples pédagogiques
- We settled in Paris.
- My uncle settled in the city.
- They settled near the river.
- She settled in London last year.
Verbe
A2
action
3
Become or make calm and still
To make someone or yourself quiet and calm.
Schéma d’usage :
to settle [someone/something] down
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may forget that 'settle down' can mean calming oneself, not just starting to live somewhere.
Synonymes
soothe (Emphasizes comfort and emotional relief.)
Antonymes
agitate (To disturb or excite instead of calming.)
Collocations
settle down after excitement
|settle the baby
|settle nerves
Thèmes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She tried to settle the crying baby.
- It took a while for the class to settle after recess.
- He settled his nerves before speaking.
- The horse settled once the noise stopped.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The teacher settled the children.
- He settled after he sat down.
- She settled the baby.
- The dog settled when I petted it.
Verbe
A2
action
4
Pay what is owed
To pay money you owe for something.
Schéma d’usage :
to settle [a bill/debt/account]
Synonymes
pay off (Informal; often used for completely paying a debt.)
Antonymes
owe (To have an unpaid debt instead of paying it.)
Collocations
settle a bill
|settle an account
|settle debts
Thèmes
business
|daily life
|finance
Exemples
- We settled the bill before leaving the restaurant.
- He settled his debts after getting his salary.
- The company settled all outstanding accounts.
- Please settle your account within 30 days.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I will settle the bill now.
- She settled her debt yesterday.
- They settled the account quickly.
- He settled his bill at the hotel.
Verbe
B1
action
5
Sink or move downward slowly
To slowly go down and stay there.
Synonymes
sink (Implies moving down into liquid or soft material; 'settle' can be broader.)
Antonymes
rise (To move upward instead of downward.)
Collocations
dust settles on surfaces
|mud settles at the bottom
Thèmes
nature
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Dust settled on the furniture overnight.
- The sediment settled at the bottom of the jar.
- Her dress settled gently around her feet.
- The house had settled over time, causing cracks in the walls.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Dust settles on the table.
- The sand settles in water.
- The leaves settle on the ground.
- The dirt settles at the bottom.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
settle
API
GB/sˈɛtəl/
US/sˈɛtəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
settle (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (settle)
Formes du mot
Verb
- Base: settle
- 3rd Person Singular: settles
- Present Participle: settling
- Past: settled
Famille de mots
Forms
settles
verb
settling
verb
settled
verb
Core family
settlement
noun B1
settler
noun B1
Related words
resettle
verb B2
resettlement
noun C1
Negative and opposite forms
unsettle
verb B2
Expressions
let the dust settle
1/lˈɛt ðə dˈʌst sˈɛtəl/
idiom
Wait until things calm down
To wait until a situation becomes calmer before making decisions or taking action.
Exemples
- Let's let the dust settle before discussing this again.
- They waited for the dust to settle after the announcement before reacting.
settle down
1/sˈɛtəl dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Become calm or begin steady life
To become quiet and calm, or to start living in one place for a long time.
Exemples
- After years of travel, he decided to settle down in a small town.
- The teacher asked the students to settle down before starting the lesson.
settle for
1/sˈɛtəl fɚ/
phrasal verb
Accept less than you want
To accept something that is not exactly what you wanted because it is good enough.
Exemples
- She couldn't find her favorite dress, so she settled for another one.
- I won't settle for anything less than the best.
settle in
1/sˈɛtəl ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Get used to new surroundings
To become comfortable in a new home, job, or situation.
Exemples
- It took him a few weeks to settle in at his new job.
- Once we settled in, we started exploring the neighborhood.
settle up
1/sˈɛtəl ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
Pay shared costs or debts
To pay someone the money you owe them, especially after sharing costs.
Exemples
- Let's settle up before we leave the restaurant.
- I need to settle up with you for last night's tickets.