score to settle
idiom
: something bad that was done to someone that the harmed person keeps in mind in order to do something bad in return
He says he has a few (old) scores to settle.
Examples of score to settle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Amateur in theaters, April 11 Literary bona fides: based on The Amateur by Robert Littell (1981)
Rami Malek stars as a CIA cryptographer with a score to settle in James Hawes’ adaptation of Littell’s London-set thriller, along with Laurence Fishburne and Rachel Brosnahan.
—
Emily Temple
january 14, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2025
After falling on the road to San Diego last month, the Comets will kick off Red Friday with a score to settle.
—Nathan Dunn, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
Marvin’s snake of a drug lord brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu), has a score to settle: His outfit’s legal eagle, Rose (Ariana DeBose), has stolen from him, though the money belongs to Russian overlords who make an 11th-hour appearance.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson had a score to settle with Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban on Thursday.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 31 Aug. 2024
While Mia certainly seems to have a score to settle with Karen after their friendship fell apart last season, this is not a productive way to get a jab in.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024
The Indianapolis Colts start the 2024 NFL season with a score to settle with longtime rival Houston Texans and a lot to prove to the rest of the league.
—Justin L. MacK, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024
That leads her to a shady tech company with plenty of skeletons in the closet, a pinky-less yakuza leader with a score to settle, and plenty more encounters with her burgeoning nemeses — the robots.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 July 2024
But Tadej Pogačar, a Slovenian wunderkind riding for UAE Team Emirates, has a score to settle.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 28 June 2024
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Emily Temple
january 14, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2025
After falling on the road to San Diego last month, the Comets will kick off Red Friday with a score to settle.
—Nathan Dunn, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2025
Marvin’s snake of a drug lord brother, Knuckles (Daniel Wu), has a score to settle: His outfit’s legal eagle, Rose (Ariana DeBose), has stolen from him, though the money belongs to Russian overlords who make an 11th-hour appearance.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2025
New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson had a score to settle with Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban on Thursday.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 31 Aug. 2024
While Mia certainly seems to have a score to settle with Karen after their friendship fell apart last season, this is not a productive way to get a jab in.
—Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024
The Indianapolis Colts start the 2024 NFL season with a score to settle with longtime rival Houston Texans and a lot to prove to the rest of the league.
—Justin L. MacK, Axios, 5 Sep. 2024
That leads her to a shady tech company with plenty of skeletons in the closet, a pinky-less yakuza leader with a score to settle, and plenty more encounters with her burgeoning nemeses — the robots.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 July 2024
But Tadej Pogačar, a Slovenian wunderkind riding for UAE Team Emirates, has a score to settle.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 28 June 2024
Cite this Entry
“Score to settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/score%20to%20settle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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