settle
v.— «Adewale Ayuba is a popular fuji musician in Nigeria. He was shot in the leg on 8 April, 2001 while returning to his house after a performance. Four men of the dreaded mobile police jumped on him and demanded to be “settled” (the parlance for bribe). Ayuba gave them some money but the four policemen were unsatisfied. Ayuba was also unsatisfied with their Oliver Twist posture so he refused to add to it and he was subsequently shot in the leg.» —“N20 for a life” by Wole Efunnuga Nigerian Tribune Sunday Magazine (Ibadan, Nigeria) Dec. 23, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...
The adjectives canine and feline refer to dogs and cats. But how does English address other groups of animals? Plus, cabin fever has been around much longer than the current pandemic. That restless, antsy, stir-crazy feeling goes back to the days...