settle a transaction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "settle a transaction" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to complete or finalize a business deal or arrangement, often involving the exchange of goods or money. Example: "After weeks of negotiations, the two companies finally agreed on a price and were able to settle the transaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

Finance of International Trade

The Guardian - Opinion

The New York Times

The Guardian - Business

Forbes

TechCrunch

BBC

FAO

Encyclopedia Britannica

WikiHow

Independent

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The aim of any operator must be to fix, as near as possible, the rate of exchange at which he will have to settle a transaction at a future date.

Finance of International Trade

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

According to lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini's closing argument, Guede met Knox and Sollecito at Knox and Kercher's cottage, probably to settle a drug transaction.

The Guardian - Opinion

Deutsche Bank has agreed to pay creditors of the Enron Corporation, the energy trading company, $25 million to settle a lawsuit related to transactions between the companies, Enron said on Tuesday.

The New York Times

Barclays said it would pay Enron the sum to settle a lawsuit arising from transactions between Enron and Barclays Capital, its investment banking unit, that were outstanding at the time that Enron sought bankruptcy protection.

The Guardian - Business

Merrill Lynch & Company said yesterday that it had agreed to pay $80 million to settle a regulatory investigation into two transactions with Enron, the failed energy trader.

The New York Times

Last month, Merrill agreed to pay $80 million to settle an S.E.C. inquiry into two transactions that increased Enron's earnings, while admitting no wrongdoing in the settlement.

The New York Times

Each day the mainframe settles all transactions via an online link, if it's available, or by a Net 1 agent who picks up receipts, store by store.

Forbes

Many of these transaction applications have a batch system that accumulates data and settles a summary of the day's transactions to a larger system.

Forbes

David H. Murdock, the chief executive of Castle & Cooke, has agreed to increase his bid for the company, Hawaii's largest real estate developer, to settle shareholder lawsuits in a transaction that values the company at $615 million.

The New York Times

It has a finger in every pie: acting as a marketplace for small businesses, a shop front for imported goods, and a convenient online wallet to settle these transactions.

BBC

Instead of routing every transaction through the blockchain, transactions between two addresses could happen on a sidechain and you could settle those transactions every now and then with the main blockchain to ease the load.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about financial matters, using "settle a transaction" is appropriate to indicate the completion of a financial exchange. Ensure the context clearly defines what is being settled, such as a payment or debt.

Common error

Avoid using "settle a transaction" in contexts where there is no financial exchange or formal agreement. For instance, do not use it to describe resolving a personal dispute; instead, use "resolve" or "settle" in a more general sense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "settle a transaction" functions as a verb phrase used to describe the act of completing or finalizing a business or financial exchange. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in contexts of finance, business, and legal agreements, highlighting its role in describing the completion of such processes.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "settle a transaction" is a verb phrase primarily used in business, finance, and legal contexts to describe the completion of a business deal or financial exchange. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct. It's important to use this phrase in contexts where there is a formal agreement or financial exchange, as misusing it in non-financial contexts can lead to errors. Alternative phrases include "complete a transaction", "finalize a transaction", and "close a deal", each with slightly different nuances. While "settle a transaction" isn't overly common, it's a valuable phrase for professional communication when accuracy is important.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

complete a transaction

Simple alternative highlighting the accomplishment of the transaction.

finalize a transaction

Emphasizes the finality and completion of all steps.

close a deal

Focuses on the agreement aspect of the transaction.

conclude a transaction

Highlights the termination or final stage of the transaction.

clear a transaction

Focuses on the verification and authorization aspect.

execute a transaction

More formal, focusing on the performance of the transaction.

settle an account

More suitable for accounting contexts, focusing on balancing financial records.

discharge a transaction

Implies the fulfillment of obligations arising from the transaction.

liquidate a transaction

Emphasizes the conversion of assets into cash during the process.

wrap up a transaction

Informal way of saying that the transaction is coming to an end.

FAQs

What does it mean to "settle a transaction"?

To "settle a transaction" means to complete or finalize a business deal, often involving the exchange of goods, services, or money. It implies that all obligations have been met and the transaction is concluded.

How can I use "settle a transaction" in a sentence?

You might say, "After the audit, the company was able to "finalize the deal" and settle the transaction with its suppliers".

What's the difference between "settle a transaction" and "close a deal"?

"Settle a transaction" typically refers to the administrative or financial completion of an exchange, whereas "close a deal" often refers to the agreement itself. Settling is the final step after the deal is closed.

What are some alternatives to "settle a transaction"?

You can use alternatives such as "complete a transaction", "finalize a transaction", or "discharge a transaction" depending on the specific context and emphasis you want to convey.