phrasal verb🧩 phrasal verb
settle down
to start stable life
What it means
To begin living a stable, calm life in one place, often by getting married, buying a house, or starting a family. It can also mean to become quieter or calmer after a period of activity or excitement.
Words like “settle down” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- After years of travelling, he finally decided to settle down in Spain.
- She wants to settle down and start a family before turning thirty.
- Children, please settle down so we can begin today's lesson.
- Things should settle down at work once the busy season ends.
Where it comes from
Inseparable. 'Settle' comes from Old English 'setlan' meaning 'to seat' or 'to come to rest', and the 'down' adds the sense of becoming still after movement.
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