settle down
phrasal verbTo save this word, you'll need to log in.
settled down; settling down; settles down
Definition of settle down
1 : to become quiet, calm, or orderly
Settle down, children. When things settle down here, I'll come for a visit.
2 : to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc.
They swore they would never settle down and get married.
3 : to put oneself into a comfortable position
He settled down for the night.
4 : to become quiet and begin giving one's attention to something
They quickly settled down to their work.
Comments on settle down
What made you want to look up settle down? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share settle down