/'setl; `sɛtl/
n wooden seat for two or more people, with a high back and arms, the seat often being the lid of a chest 木制有扶手的高背长椅（座位下常为柜橱, 座位即盖儿）.

/'setl; `sɛtl/
v
1 (a) [I, Ipr, Tn esp passive 尤用于被动语态] make one's permanent home in (a country, etc) as a colonist 在（某国等）殖民
*The Dutch settled in South Africa. 荷兰人在南非殖民.
* (fml 文) This area was settled by immigrants over a century ago. 这一带在一个世纪以前是移民的殖民地.
(b) [I, Ipr] make one's home in a place 定居; 安家落户
*After years of travel, we decided to settle here. 我们旅行多年後, 决定在此定居.
* settle in London, in Canada, in the country, near the coast 在伦敦、在加拿大、在乡村、在沿海安家.
2 [I, Ipr] ~ (on/over sth) come to rest on sth; stay for some time on sth 在某处停歇或停留一时
*Will the snow settle? ie Will it remain on the ground without melting? 这雪呆得住吗? （能落在地上不融化吗? ）
* The bird settled on a branch. 那只鸟落在树枝上了.
* Clouds have settled over the mountain tops. 那些云彩在山顶上空停留不散.
* The dust had settled on everything. 到处都是积尘.
* The cold has settled on my chest, ie It is making me cough, etc. 我患感冒已引起胸部不适（咳嗽等）.
* (fig 比喻) A tense silence had settled over the waiting crowd. 在等候的人群中有一种紧张的寂静感.
3 [I, Ip, Tn] ~ (back) make (sb/oneself) comfortable in a new position 使（某人[自己]）在新位置上觉得舒适
*settle (back) in one's armchair 舒适地（仰）坐在单座沙发上
* The nurse settled her patient for the night, ie made him comfortable, gave him medicine, etc. 护士安顿病人过夜（让他舒适、给他药等）.
* He settled himself on the sofa to watch TV. 他舒舒服服地坐在长沙发上看电视.
4 [I, Tn] (cause sb/sth to) become calm, composed or relaxed （使某人[某事物]）平静、镇静或放松
*Wait until all the excitementhas settled. 等到激动情绪平静下来再说.
* Have a drink to settle your stomach. 喝点饮料胃口就舒服些.
* The thunderstorm may settle the weather. 这场雷暴过後天气可能反而好些.
* This pill will help to settle your nerves. 你吃了这片药神经就不那么紧张了.
* He had been quite anxious, but I managed to settle his mind. 他原来很着急, 我总算把他的情绪稳定下来了.
5 (a) [Tn, Tn.pr, Tf, Tw] ~ sth (with sb) make an agreement about sth; arrange sth finally or satisfactorily; deal with sth 对某事物达成一致意见; 终于或满意地安排好某事物; 解决; 处理
*settle a dispute, an argument, an issue, etc 解决一争端、争论、问题等
* That settles the matter. 事情就那样解决了.
* Nothing is settled yet. 什么也没定下来.
* You should settle your affairs (eg by making a will) before you leave. 你应该把你的事情处理好再走（如先写好遗嘱）.
* It's time you settled your dispute with him. 现在你该跟他把争端解决了.
* We have settled that we will leave next week. 我们已经安排好下星期走.
* Have you settled how it will be done? 对于如何处理这件事, 你们是否已达成协议了?
(b) [I, Ipr] ~ (with sb) resolve a legal dispute by mutual agreement 相互同意解决一法律上的争端
*The parties in the lawsuit settled (with each other) out of court, ie reached an agreement before the case was heard in court. 涉讼双方（相互）达成协议庭外和解.
6 (a) [I, Ipr, Ip, Tn] ~ (up) (with sb) pay (what is owed, a bill, etc) 偿付, 结算（欠债、帐单等）
*You owe a lot, and it's now time to settle (with your creditors). 你欠了很多债, 现在该偿还（给债权人）了.
* Have you settled (up) with her for the goods? 你跟她结算货款了吗?
* If you pay for both of us now, we can settle up later. 你要是现在先付清咱们两人的帐, 事後咱们俩再细算.
* The insurance company has settled her claim. 保险公司已经清偿了她的索赔款额.
* Please settle your bill before leaving the hotel. 离开旅馆前请先结帐.
(b) [Ipr, Tn, Tn.pr] ~ (sth) (with sb) (fig 比喻) punish sb for (an injury, insult, etc that one has suffered) 为（所受的伤害、侮辱等）惩罚某人
*He thinks he can laugh at me, but I'll settle with him soon. 他以为他嘲笑我之後就算完事了, 我马上就要找他算这笔帐.
* settle a score, grievance, etc 清算旧仇、积怨等.
7 (a) [I, Tn] (cause sth to) sink to a lower level （使某物）下沉, 下降
*The dregs have settled at the bottom of the bottle. 渣滓都沉到瓶底了.
* Stir the coffee to settle the grounds. 把咖啡搅一搅好让渣滓沉淀.
* The shower of rain has settled the dust. 这一阵雨把尘土都赶到地上了.
(b) [I, Tn] (cause sth to) become clear as solid matter sinks （使某物）清澈（因固体下沉所致）
*Has the beer settled? 啤酒澄清了吗?
* Leave the wine on a shelf for a week to settle it. 把酒搁在架子上放一个星期好让它澄清.
(c) [I] become more compact; subside 变得更紧实或坚实; 下陷
*The wall sagged as the earth beneath it settled. 由于墙基的土下陷, 墙也凹陷了.
* The contents of the packet have settled in transit, ie come closer together, so that there appears to be less. 小包装袋里的东西在运输中已经压实了（显得少了）.
8 (idm 习语) pay/settle an old score => old. settle one's/an ac`count (with sb) get revenge for an injury, insult, etc 为受到的伤害、侮辱等复仇
*She insulted my mother, so I have an account to settle with her. 她侮辱我的母亲, 我得跟她算这笔帐. settle sb's`hash (infml 口) deal finally with sb who is being awkward, aggressive, etc 终于整治一下那个闹别扭、找麻烦等的人. when the dust has settled =>dust1.
9 (phr v) settle down
(a) sit or lie in a comfortable position 舒适地坐或躺
*She settled down in an armchair to read her book. 她舒适地坐在单座沙发上看书.
(b) adopt a more stable or quiet way of life; get used to a new way of life, job, etc 过更安定或宁静的生活; 习惯于新的生活方式、工作等
*When are you going to marry and settle down? 你什么时候结婚过上安定生活?
* She is settling down well in her new job. 她很能适应这份新工作. settle (sb) down (cause sb to) become calm, less restless, etc （使某人）安静、安顿、安心等
*Wait until the children settle down before you start the lesson. 等学生都静下心来再开始上课.
* After all the recent excitement things have begun to settle down again. 经过最近这些激烈事情之後, 一切又都平静下来了.
* The chairman tried to settle the audience down, ie get them to stop talking, etc. 主席尽力让听众安静下来. settle (down) to sth begin to give one's attention to sth 开始注意某事物
*The constant interruptions stopped me settling (down) to my work. 我受到不断打扰, 无法定下心来工作.

v

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1【end argument】
2【decide】
3【start living in a place】
4【comfortable】
5【quiet/calm】
6【move down】
7【pay money】
8【organize business/money】
9 settle a score/account
10 somebody's eyes/gaze settles on somebody/something
11【feeling/quality】
12【expression】
13【stomach】
Phrasal verbs
　settle back
　settle down
　settle for something
　settle in
　settle on/upon somebody/something
　settle up

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[Language: Old English;Origin: setlan]
【END ARGUMENT】 [I and T]
to end an argument or solve a disagreement
settle a dispute/lawsuit/conflict/argument etc
　Rodman met with Kreeger to try and settle the dispute over his contract.
　We hope the factions will be able to settle their differences (=agree to stop arguing) by peaceful means.
　Forensic tests should settle the question of whether Bates was actually present at the scene of the crime.
settle with
　She finally settled with her former employers for an undisclosed sum.
　They might be willing to settle out of court (=come to an agreement without going to a court of law) .
【DECIDE】 [T usually passive]
to decide what you are going to do, especially so that you can make definite arrangements
　Nothing's settled yet.
　It's settled then. I'll go back to the States in June.
　'She's only 15.' ' That settles it! (=that is enough information for a definite decision to be made) We're not taking her with us!'
【START LIVING IN A PLACE】
a) [I,T usually passive]
to go to a place where no people have lived permanently before and start to live there
　This territory was settled in the mid-1850s by German immigrants.
b) [I always + adverb/preposition]
to go to live in a new place, and stay there for a long time
settle in
　Many Jewish people settled in the Lower East Side.
【COMFORTABLE】 [I,T always + adverb/preposition]
to put yourself or someone else in a comfortable position
settle yourself in/on etc sth
　Donna did not dare settle herself too comfortably into her seat, in case she fell asleep.
　The dog settled on the grass to enjoy its bone.
　A nurse settled the old man into a chair.
→settle back
【QUIET/CALM】alsosettle down [I and T]
to become quiet and calm, or to make someone quiet and calm
　When the children had settled, Miss Brown gave out the new reading books.
　She breathed deeply to settle her nerves (=stop herself from feeling worried or frightened) .
【MOVE DOWN】 [I]
a) if dust, snow etc settles, it comes down and stays in one place
settle on
　Snow settled on the roofs.
b) if a bird, insect etc settles, it flies down and rests on something
settle on
　A fly kept trying to settle on his face.
c) if something such as a building or the ground settles, it sinks slowly to a lower level
　The crack in the wall is caused by the ground settling.
【PAY MONEY】 [T]
to pay money that is owed
settle a bill/account/claim
　I always settle my account in full each month.
　These insurance companies take forever to settle a claim.
settle with
　He was able to settle with his creditors, and avoid going to jail.
【ORGANIZE BUSINESS/MONEY】 [T]
to deal with all the details of a business or of someone's money or property, so that nothing further needs to be done
　When it is finally settled, the Marshall estate may be worth no more than $100,000.
　After her husband's death, Jackie went to the city to settle his affairs .
settle a score/account
to do something to hurt or cause trouble for someone because they have harmed or offended you
　Did he have any enemies - someone with an old score to settle ?
sb's eyes/gaze settles on sb/sth
written if your eyes settle on something or someone, you notice them and look at them for a period of time
　Her gaze settled on a door, and she wondered what was on the other side of it.
【FEELING/QUALITY】 [I always + adverb/preposition]
written if a quality or feeling settles over a place or person, it begins and has a strong effect
settle over/on
　An uneasy silence settled over the room.
　Depression settled over her like a heavy black cloud.
【EXPRESSION】 [I always + adverb/preposition]
written if a particular expression settles on your face, it stays there
　A disapproving frown settled on her face.
【STOMACH】 [I and T]
if your stomach settles, or if something settles it, it stops feeling uncomfortable or making you sick
　Georgia had taken pills to settle her stomach, but she was still throwing up every hour.
→let the dust settle/wait for the dust to settleatdust¹ (5)
settle backphr v
to lean back in a bed or chair, and relax and enjoy yourself
　Vera settled back to enjoy the film.
settle downphr v
settle (sb) down
to become quiet and calm, or to make someone quiet and calm
　Shh! Settle down please! Now turn to page 57.
　When Kyle was a baby we used to take him for rides in the car to settle him down.
to start living a quiet and calm life in one place, especially when you get married
　They'd like to see their daughter settle down, get married, and have kids.
to start giving all of your attention to a job or activity
settle down to
　I sorted out my mail, then settled down to some serious work.
if a situation settles down, it becomes calmer and you are less busy or less worried
　It's been really hectic here. When things settle down , I'll give you a call.
settle for [settle for sth] phr v
to accept something even though it is not the best, or not what you really want
　They want $2500 for it, but they might settle for $2000.
　She couldn't find any cola, so had to settle for orange juice.
settle inphr vto begin to feel happy and relaxed in a new situation, home, job, or school
　How's your new home? Are you settling in OK?
　It takes a few months to settle into life at college.
settle on/upon / [settle on/upon sb/sth] phr v
to decide or agree on something
　They haven't settled on a name for the baby yet.
settle sth on sb
BrE formal to make a formal arrangement to give money or property to someone
　She settled a small yearly sum on each of her children.
settle upphr v
to pay what you owe on an account or bill
　We settled up and checked out of the hotel.
settle up with
　I'll settle up with the bartender, then let's go.