settlement
/ˈsetlmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsetlmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈse-tᵊl-mənt/ (ame, mw)
settlement — noun
- settlementsingular
- settlementsplural
1. a formal arrangement in which opposing sides accept terms that resolve what they
a formal arrangement in which opposing sides accept terms that resolve what they were arguing about
After weeks of talks, the union and the company finally reached a settlement.
collocation: reach a settlement
The two countries signed a peace settlement to end the border dispute.
collocation: peace settlement
Yan's family accepted a settlement from the other driver's insurance company.
Paloma signed a divorce settlement that divided the property fairly between her and her ex-husband.
The management and the workers' representatives are still far apart in the settlement talks.
- agreement
more general; any shared understanding, not just dispute-ending
- resolution
focuses on the act of solving the problem rather than the resulting document
- compromise
implies each side gives up something; a settlement may not require concessions from both
- disagreement
the state that a settlement is meant to end
- deadlock
a situation where no progress or settlement is possible
用法筆記
Often countable (C) when referring to a specific agreement, uncountable (U) in general contexts like 'negotiate settlement'.
常見錯誤
2. an arrangement that resolves a legal conflict without a trial, sometimes includi
an arrangement that resolves a legal conflict without a trial, sometimes including a sum of money given by one side to the other
The company agreed to a $2 million settlement to avoid a lengthy trial.
amount + settlement: specifies the sum paid
Tara's lawyer negotiated a confidential settlement with the other party.
The victim received a substantial settlement from the hospital for the medical error.
The bank reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with customers over hidden fees.
Élise received a settlement from her former employer after she was unfairly dismissed.
- payout
focuses on the money received; less formal
- compensation
broader; can be court-ordered, not necessarily agreed out of court
- out-of-court agreement
more explicit about the legal setting, less common as a single word
- trial
the court proceeding that a settlement avoids
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (SETTLE DISPUTE): sense 2 specifically involves an actual or potential lawsuit and a payment or compensation. Countable (C) only.
常見錯誤
3. a location where a group moves to and makes their homes, often somewhere with fe
a location where a group moves to and makes their homes, often somewhere with few earlier residents, or the act of creating such a community
The first European settlement in the area was founded in 1788.
historical settlement: first + place + founded
Noor grew up in a small settlement of about two hundred families near the river.
The settlement of the western plains took several generations and enormous effort.
Archaeologists discovered the remains of a Viking settlement on the coast of Ireland.
The government encouraged the settlement of the remote northern region through tax breaks.
- wilderness
an undeveloped area before any settlement occurs
用法筆記
Countable (C) when referring to a specific place or community; uncountable (U) when describing the process ('the settlement of the interior').
常見錯誤
4. the act of paying money that is owed to someone, or the payment itself
the act of paying money that is owed to someone, or the payment itself
The bank processed the settlement of all outstanding debts.
settlement of [debts/accounts]
Anna made a full settlement of her credit card balance before the due date.
full settlement: paying the entire amount owed
The settlement of the invoice is due within thirty days of receipt.
Tariro handled the monthly settlement of accounts for the family business.
International trade settlements often involve multiple currencies and several banks.
- debt
the amount owed, before it is paid
- outstanding balance
the money still owed before settlement
用法筆記
Frequently used in financial contexts such as banking, accounting, and billing. 'Full settlement' means paying everything owed; 'partial settlement' means paying part of it.
常見錯誤
5. the gradual downward movement of a building's base, a man-made structure, or a s
the gradual downward movement of a building's base, a man-made structure, or a stretch of land
The old house suffered from foundation settlement after the earthquake.
foundation settlement: sinking of a building's base
Engineers measured the settlement of the bridge supports over several years.
Soil settlement caused cracks to appear in the walls of the library.
The old warehouse was demolished because differential settlement had made it unsafe.
Heather noticed settlement cracks in the driveway and called a structural engineer.
- subsidence
broader term; can be caused by mining or natural processes, not just slow sinking
- sinking
simpler word; less technical, can describe any downward movement
- uplift
upward movement of the ground; opposite of sinking
用法筆記
Uncountable (U) only. A technical term in civil engineering and construction — not used in everyday conversation. 'Differential settlement' refers to parts of a structure sinking at different rates.