settled, adj. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

settled adj.

also winded-settled

1. sentenced to transportation.

1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 89: SETTLED, transported. [Ibid.] 116: WINDED-SETTLED, transported for life.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict. [as cit. 1859].
1873		Sl. Dict.

2. imprisoned.

1867		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 26 Oct. n.p.: The probability is that he will be settled this term himself.
1871		‘One Who Has Been There’ [J.H. Banka] Illus. History & Description of State Prison Life 492: Vocabulary of Slang Terms [...] Sentenced to State Prison...Settled.
1899		J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 396: SETTLED: in prison.
1900		Flynt & Walton Powers That Prey 131: Some were ‘settled’ (in prisons like himself), he learned.
1910		J. Sullivan ‘Criminal Sl.’ in Amer. Law Rev. LII (1918) 889: When a man is convicted of a crime he is ‘settled.’.
1914		Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 75: settled [...] Convicted of misdemeanor or statutory offence. Example: ‘He’s settled for a two spot.’.
1921		P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 304: Settled—in jail; imprisoned.
1929		‘Josphine Tey’ (as ‘Gordon Daviot’) Man in the Queue 31: ‘I’ll lay you [...] five to one in pounds that you don’t have one of us settled inside two years’ .
1931		‘Und. “Lingo” Brought Up-to-Date’ L.A. Times 8 Nov. K16: SETTLED: Imprisoned in the penitentiary.
1936		Mencken Amer. Lang. (4th edn) 581: In virtually all American prisons [...] To have no hope of release is to be buried, lagged or settled.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 817: settled – Imprisoned.

3. (Aus.) finished, ‘done for’.

1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 6 Sept. 36/1: But if yer’ goin’ ter take ther short cut yer want ter be careful, for if yer miss ther track, s’elp yer, yer settled. […].
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 25 Aug. 14/2: Don’t be a fool. If you have any more beer you’ll be too full. (3) If you don’t pull yourself together you’ll get bundled out. (4) If you get bundled out you’re settled.

In phrases

settled right (adj.)

convicted and imprisoned after a fair trial.

1950

Goldin et al. DAUL 189/1: Settled right. Committed to prison on a charge of which one is guilty, all procedure having been in accordance with due process of law.

settled wrong (adj.)

convicted and imprisoned unfairly.

1950

Goldin et al. DAUL 189/1: Settled wrong. Committed to prison for a crime of which one is innocent; convicted and imprisoned in violation of due process of law.