settle v.
1. to knock down, to stun; also in fig. use.
New Canting Dict. n.p.: settle to stun, or knock down; as, We settled the Cull by a Stoter on his Nob; i.e. We took him such a Blow on the Head, as quite stunn’d him. | ||
, , , | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725]. | |
Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 231: Then at another stroke this rapster, / Settl’d calisius, his tapster; / With his oak stick the varlet maul’d him. | ||
, , | Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Settle. To knock down or stun any one. We settled the cull by a stroke on his nob; we stunned the fellow by a blow on the head. | |
Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785]. | ||
Mr Mathews’ Comic Annual 22: As to the stupid ape, her son Andrew, we can soon settle him. | ||
Paul Periwinkle 576: Him come into de city to settle de dam whites. | ||
High Life in N.Y. II 258: I’ll settle the nigger, if he gets obstropulous. | ||
Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 89: SETTLE, to [...] ruin, or effectually quiet a person. | ||
Londres et les Anglais 318/1: settle, étourdir quelqu’un en lui donnant un coup. | ||
Sl. Dict. | ||
Three Brass Balls 250: It was that barrister that prosecuted who settled me. | ||
Tag, Rag & Co. 29: If I ever got such a ugly customer into my boat, I’d look out for my opportunity and I’d settle him [...] I’d fetch him a crack over the head. | ||
‘’Arry on Arrius’ in Punch 26 Dec. 303/1: One lesson in Greek settled me; it’s the crackjorest speshus of rot! | ||
Marvel 22 May 5: ‘Settled him!’ said Kerrick, with a brutal laugh. | ||
Boy’s Own Paper 29 June 612: Then I can get a look at his head. We’ll soon settle him then. | ||
Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 243: There’s three o’ them left-handed swill-box robbers out to settle you. | ‘The Gangster’s Elegy’ in||
Bride of Gospel Place 114: Buck: I’ll do for you, you devil! [...] You’ve settled both of us. | ||
Put on the Spot 29: You know who settled Kinky King—Goldie Gorio! | ||
Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (1960) 67: I’ll bring our big kid up to settle yo’. | ‘Mr Raynor the Schoolteacher’||
Saved Scene x: You come near ’im again an’ I’ll settle yer for good. Lay off. |
2. to sentence to penal transportation.
Vulgar Tongue. | ||
, | Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. | |
Australasian (Melbourne) 17 July 8/5: To be ‘Iagged for life’ is to be wind settled. |
3. (also settle with) to deal with, get even with.
Cockney Adventures 10 Feb. 115: ‘I know’d I could settle him,’ said the lady of the short clothes. | ||
London by Night II iii: I think I’ve settled him – if not the coming engine will complete the work. | ||
Handy Andy in Darkey Drama 5 63: I’ll settle you! | ||
Memoirs of the US Secret Service 103: The local police [...] were unable to settle their gripe upon this accomplished, dangerous, and wily operator in the ‘queer’. | ||
Dagonet Ballads 4: You must settle your dawg, Bill, unless you’ve a mind to pay. | ||
Forty Years a Gambler 217: I’ll settle that fellow in the morning. | ||
Punch 24 Jan. 69/1: And he covered a pile of coupons with a paper-weight, as if he had the poet underneath and settled him for ever. | ||
Strictly Business (1915) 257: I’ll settle with um meself. | ‘Past One at Rooney’s’ in||
Sport (Adelaide) 15 Mar. 12/2: They Say [...] That Tot H is going to settle Ponker one of these days. | ||
Marvel 19 June 11: We will soon settle him. | ||
Squeaker (1950) 122: I’m going to settle with Frank Sutton. | ||
Silver Eagle 109: ‘If they bother you, call Frankie or Canovi. We’ll settle ‘em’. | ||
Nobody Lives for Ever 58: ‘What’s your point, Doc?’ Johnny interposed hastily. ‘I’m just settling Pop—that’s all. So we’ll know where we stand’ . | ||
Carlito’s Way 16: ‘Tonight I’m going to settle with a guy. No telling where I’m gonna go afterward’ . | ||
Minder [TV script] 50: Right, I’ve had enough of this. When he comes out of orbit, I’ll settle him for good. | ‘Get Daley!’||
Out After Dark 152: He has a score or two to settle. | ||
Black Tide (2012) [ebook] Hed knows how the Armits fit. He’ll settle them, take the push off. |
4. (also settle with) to kill, to murder.
Vocabulum. | ||
Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. | ||
What a Fool music hall song n.p.: My darling wife and Ma-in-law Have nearly settled me [F&H]. | ||
Five Years’ Penal Servitude 223: Then ’e sees the engine a coming [...] and chucked hisself bang in front of it, and it soon settl’d ’im. | ||
Treasure Island 278: As the man rolled up his eyes at him in the last agony, ‘George,’ said he, ‘I reckon I settled you’. | ||
Illus Police News (London) 3 Dec. 2: Was it Jack the Ripper? [...] ‘Let us go on a bit further,’ said the man. ‘I will not,’ replied the ghirl. ‘Then I’ll settle you now,’ answered the man quietly. | ||
Tales of the Early Days 116: If I don’t die, the chap’ll who’s to settle me. | ||
Boy’s Own Paper 15 July 665: There’s enough arsenic and strychnine to settle the whole ship’s crew. | ||
Bulletin (Sydney) 10 Mar. 28/2: […] They’d have murdered me too if I hadn’t cleared. I heard them talking outside the house at 1 o’clock this morning plotting how to settle us. | ||
Spoilers 291: ‘By God!’ he said slowly. ‘I’ll settle wi’ you for that, Peter.’. | ||
Confessions of a Detective 25: ‘Settle the bull, Red! Go in and cook him!’ I might add that ‘settle’ and ‘cook,’ in the language of the Five Points, always mean ‘kill’ and never mean anything else. | ||
Bulletin (Sydney) 12 Dec. 44/2: Settlin’ powders. [...] They darned near settled that nigger, anyway. | ||
Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 166: Settle.–[...] To kill. | ||
Arab Patrol 291: ‘If they attack again I fancy I can settle a few of them’. | ||
Night Stick 129: We never got the killer. The killers seldom do their ‘settling’ in the presence of witnesses. | ||
Sahara Desert Escape 34: [T]he legionary [...] had gone to settle the sniper . |
5. to sentence to a term of imprisonment, usu. life.
Sun (NY) 13 May 14/6: I settled that mug for another trick once, and I think I can shake him down now. | ||
S.F. Call 2 Apr. 25/5: When a prisoner is convicted he is said to be ‘settled’. | ||
World of Graft 130: The copper tries to settle the squealer and the squealer tries to railroad the copper. | ||
Autobiog. of a Thief 44: I was ‘settled’ for assault only; and sent to the Tombs for ten days. | ||
Wash. Post 11 Nov. Misc. 3/5: Foley was ‘pinched’ and ‘settled’ in San Quentin. | ||
Amer. Tramp and Und. Sl. 166: Settle.–[...] To sentence to gaol. | ||
DAUL 188/2: Settle. To sentence to prison. ‘Bing was settled for the book (life imprisonment) as a four-time loser.’. | et al.||
in PADS XXIV. 151: Maybe he will get settled, or sent to prison; among pick-pockets this term does not carry the implication of a long sentence or a life-term; it usually means two years. |
In phrases
(US) to resolve one’s difficulties.
End of the World 169: ’twould a-settled his coffee fer life. | ||
Albuquerque Eve. News (NM) 29 May 4/3: When Mr henpeck growled to his wife to settle his coffee, she settled his hash. |
see under hash n.1
(US) to deal with someone who has wronged you, to take revenge.
Clockmaker III 56: I’ll show you how to settle his coffee for him without a fish-skin. | ||
Sam Slick in England II 238: Don’t call me names tho’, or I’ll settle your coffee for you. |
see under tater n.