settle accounts

settle accounts

1. To pay or receive money owed. The phrase can be used by the debtor or the creditor. I need to settle accounts with Dean before he forgets to pay me back! Thanks for settling accounts with me, I really needed the money this month.
2. To avenge a misdeed. Now that she thinks I started that rumor about her, I'm worried about how she is going to settle accounts with me. Oh, I'll use my fists to settle accounts with him after school!
See also: account, settle

settle an account

1. To pay money owed. Beware emails purporting to be from long-lost friends asking you to wire them money in order to settle an account—it's probably a scam.
2. To pay an amount of money to clear a debt with a credit institution, especially when it is less than the amount originally owed. If you find yourself with a large enough lump sum of cash, you may be able to settle an account for significantly less than what's owed, so long as you can pay the new amount in full.
3. To avenge a misdeed; to harm or punish someone who wronged one in the past. This court is not the means by which jilted lovers can settle an account, is that understood Mr. Daniels? Look, I don't have an account to settle with you or anything, so let's just let bygones be bygones, OK?
See also: account, settle
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

settle an account

or

settle accounts

If you settle an account or settle accounts with an enemy or opponent, you bring your fight or argument to an end by defeating them. She had an account to settle with her family. He told me to give up my desire to settle accounts with the person who had injured me. Note: The verb square is sometimes used instead of settle. The team was determined to square the account in this match.
See also: account, settle
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

settle (or square) accounts with someone

1 pay money owed to someone. 2 have revenge on someone.
See also: account, settle, someone
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • settle accounts with someone
  • settle an account
  • pay-for-play
  • put (one) to great expense
  • pay (for something) out of pocket
  • pay out of pocket
  • pay-to-play
  • make (one) pay through the nose
  • pay through the nose
  • pay through the nose (for something)
References in periodicals archive
Users and trucking companies will be able to conclude contracts and settle accounts through the site.
Trading houses to run Web site for trucking service
The firm has 25 employees, 70% of whom are traditional collectors (they settle accounts 90-plus days past due) and 30% of whom are customer service representatives (they place courtesy calls to remind debtors their payments are overdue).
Recovering losses
Russia, South Africa, Cambodia, Chile and Northern Ireland--these are examples of nations or provinces currently trying to settle accounts with the past.
Discovering inner freedom: Philip Boobbyer, a lecturer in modern European history at the University of Kent, puts cleaning one's slate in a wider philosophical context
Harry Zike, controller of Siemens and chairman of FEI's Committee on Corporate Controllership, reports that Siemens will offer its European customers the option to settle accounts either in euros or the national currency, starting January 1, 1999.
Banking on the euro
Finally, through NetCheque, properly signed and endorsed checks can be electronically exchanged between financial institutions through electronic clearing houses, with the institutions using these endorsed checks as tender to settle accounts.
The check is in the E-mail
"We want to settle accounts with the US and therefore, since we cannot go to the US, we will force the US to confront us by attacking Kuwait," Baghdadi said in his tweet message written in Arabic language.
ISIL Leader Warns of Attacking Kuwait
NNA - We won't allow Lebanon's turning into an arena for others to settle accounts, former president Michel Sleiman, stressed during a reception of well-wishers at his Amshit residence today.
Sleiman: We won't allow Lebanon's turning into an arena for others
"We will settle accounts with 'parallellists,' we will destroy their buildings," the police said, according to witnesses and the guard.
Municipality illegally demolishes building in y-stanbul
The Brotherhood accused the interim government of attempting to "settle accounts" by arresting Badie, saying the series of arrests were made under "fabricated charges with no legally acceptable evidence."
Brotherhood trial postponed to October
He warned his forces were ready "to settle accounts with the U.S." after two American B-2 bombers flew a training mission in South Korea.
NKorea says it is in a state of war with SKorea
According to the report, he 'judged the time has come to settle accounts with the US imperialists in view of the prevailing situation.' (Xinhua-ANI)
North Korean leader orders rockets on standby to hit US base
When asked in his opinion, what was behind 50 percent of votes gained by the AK Party, Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman Kemal Kilicdaroglu said, "we have set up a commission and we are searching the reason behind the 50 percent of votes." CHP leader is getting prepared to settle accounts within the party.
TURKEY-PRESS SCAN (2)
Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake."There is a mass of patriots ready to find Bakiev and to settle accounts with him themselves, but we can not let this happen and we should come to balance," she said.According to Roza Otunbaeva, opposition attempted to meet with Bakiev many times when "he was in the office." "But he did not respond, now he realizes his situation and is ready for talks.
Roza Otunbaeva: We will not allow Bakiev's lynching
Haaretz reported that although senior military officers believe Israel still has substantial deterrent power over Hizbullah, they are concerned the organization is still seeking to "settle accounts" with Israel over the assassination of top Hizbullah military commander Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus in February.
LEBANON - July 22 - Hizbullah Identifies Bodies Of 157 Fighters Returned By Israel