settle a score

settle a score (third-person singular simple present settles a score, present participle settling a score, simple past and past participle settled a score)

1. (idiomatic) To even the score.
   • 2024 January 30, Phil McNulty, “Nottingham Forest 1-2 Arsenal: Gunners in title race after they close gap to leaders Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Arsenal also have a score to settle with Liverpool after losing 2-0 at home in the recent FA Cup third-round tie, when they had so many chances to score before almost inevitably falling victim to two late sucker-punches.

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