settle down

To become calm and quiet, or make someone calm and quiet.

• Please settle down and listen.
• The crowd settled down when the singer appeared.
• Can you settle the baby down?

How to use it: settle someone down (A quiet story helped settle the children down.)

Similar words: calm down, quiet down

Common phrases: settle down now, settle someone down

To start feeling comfortable in a new home or situation.

• It took me weeks to settle down here.
• The children have settled down well at their new school.
• Have you settled down in your new home yet?

How to use it: settle down in a place (She soon settled down in her new flat.)

Similar words: settle in, adjust

Common phrases: settle down here, settle down comfortably

To become quiet and calm, especially when someone asks you to.

• Settle down, everyone; the lesson is starting.
• The children finally settled down after lunch.
• Will you settle down and let me speak?

Similar words: calm down, quiet down

Common phrases: please settle down, settle down now

To stop moving from place to place and start living somewhere for a long time.

• They want to settle down here.
• After years of travel, she settled down in Bristol.
• Are you ready to settle down and start a family?

How to use it: settle down in a place (They decided to settle down in a small coastal town.); settle down with someone (He wants to settle down with his partner.)

Similar words: put down roots

Common phrases: settle down somewhere, settle down together