【Decide】 , 【determine】 , 【settle】 , 【rule】 , 【resolve】 mean to come or to cause to come to a conclusion.

【Decide】 presupposes previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy and implies the arriving at a more or less logical conclusion that brings doubt or debate to an end: the word may take as its subject the person or persons arriving at such a conclusion or the thing or things that bring them to the conclusion.

【Determine】 (see also DISCOVER 2) may mean to set limits or bounds to: when it means basically to 【decide】 , this implication of definitely fixing something so that its identity, its character, its scope, its direction is clear and beyond doubt distinguishes it from 【decide】 ; one decides to give a dinner party but determines the guests to be invited; a legislature decides that the state constitution should be revised and appoints a committee with power to 【determine】 what changes shall be made. In a slightly different sense 【determine】 implies the arrival at a conclusion that either is a fixed and unalterable purpose or intention or is the inevitable result, outcome, or end of what precedes.

【Settle】 implies the arrival at a conclusion, often a mental or logical conclusion but sometimes a termination for which no individual is responsible, that brings to an end all doubt, all wavering, all dispute.

【Rule】 (see also GOVERN) implies a decision or determination by authority, especially by the authority of the court.

【Resolve】 implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.