Am I too BULL-sensitive?

[BULLigerent]

Sarasota Herald Tribune headlines, "Manatee tight end Ide settles on South Florida".

Settles?  What the hell is that?  I thought maybe I was being overly sensitive, but then I tried the word in other contexts.  It always sounded negative.

"I settled for a Miller Lite" (I like Miller Lite).

"I settled for Club seats at our bowl game."

"My wife settled on me". (yes, probably proper usage there)

"Bobby settled for two pieces of pizza"

"The seller settled for $250,000"

"Marlboro settled for $2MM".

No matter how I use it, "settle" implies it's not what was desired, but will do.

Is it me?

[Apis Bull]

It's you.

[Apis Bull]

set·tle    ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (stl)

v. set·tled, set·tling, set·tles

v. tr.

To put into order; arrange or fix definitely as desired.

To put firmly into a desired position or place; establish.

To establish as a resident or residents: settled her family in Ohio.

To establish residence in; colonize: Pioneers settled the West.

To establish in a residence, business, or profession.

To restore calmness or comfort to.

To cause to sink, become compact, or come to rest.

To cause (a liquid) to become clear by forming a sediment.

To subdue or make orderly.

To establish on a permanent basis; stabilize.

To make compensation for (a claim).

To pay (a debt).

To conclude (a dispute, for example) by a final decision.

To decide (a lawsuit) by mutual agreement of the involved parties without court action.

Law. To secure or assign (property or title) by legal action.

v. intr.

To discontinue moving and come to rest in one place.

To move downward; sink or descend, especially gradually: Darkness settled over the fields. Dust settled in the road.

To become clear by the sinking of suspended particles. Used of liquids.

To be separated from a solution or mixture as a sediment.

To become compact by sinking, as sediment when stirred up.

To establish one's residence: settled in Canada.

To become established or localized: The cold settled in my chest.

To reach a decision; determine: We finally settled on a solution to the problem. See Synonyms at decide.

To come to an agreement, especially to resolve a lawsuit out of court.

To provide compensation for a claim.

To pay a debt.

[Joe]

Not necessarily, He might have had a conundrum in his mind USF or Houston (or whoever else recruited him). He settled it by going to USF.

Who knows, but lets not be ignorant, not many kids at this point are growing up saying they wanna play for USF. He might have had his heart set on one of the big 3 or whatever other school he grew up rooting for.

I really don't think the paper meant anything derogatory though. Least we got a write up!

[BULLigerent]

For clarification, it did not say "he settles at South Florida"...it said "he settles on South Florida".

Reads differently to me.  Sounds like it's just me though, so I guess I'll just be happy that we're in the paper and they're finally using the proper logo.

[BULLigerent]

...and thanks for the extended definition.  I clearly need a bigger dictionary.

I still think the definition and current usage often differ in the English language and I think this is one of those instances.

[The_Reaper]

Gosh I like fellow English Majors!!!!  

[smazza]

not flattering for usf

[Triple B]

Not necessarily, He might have had a conundrum in his mind USF or Houston (or whoever else recruited him). He settled it by going to USF.

Isn't that the same as SCB's "To reach a decision" definition?  :-/

I think for it to have been derogatory, it would need to have read "Manatee tight end Ide settles for South Florida" ....

[Joe]

Ya Trip, we both posted at the same. SCB got his in before mine.