treat

[treet]

verb (used with object)

1. to act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way.

   to treat someone with respect.

2. to consider or regard in a specified way, and deal with accordingly.

   to treat a matter as unimportant.

3. to deal with (a disease, patient, etc.) in order to relieve or cure.

4. to deal with in speech or writing; discuss.

5. to deal with, develop, or represent artistically, especially in some specified manner or style.

   to treat a theme realistically.

6. to subject to some agent or action in order to bring about a particular result.

   to treat a substance with an acid.

7. to entertain; give hospitality to.

   He treats diplomats in the lavish surroundings of his country estate.

8. to provide food, entertainment, gifts, etc., at one's own expense.

   Let me treat you to dinner.

verb (used without object)

1. to deal with a subject in speech or writing; discourse.

   a work that treats of the caste system in India.

2. to give, or bear the expense of, a treat.

   Is it my turn to treat?

3. to carry on negotiations with a view to a settlement; discuss terms of settlement; negotiate.

noun

1. entertainment, food, drink, etc., given by way of compliment or as an expression of friendly regard.

2. anything that affords particular pleasure or enjoyment.

3. the act of treating.

4. one's turn to treat.

treat

/ triːt /

noun

1. a celebration, entertainment, gift, or feast given for or to someone and paid for by another

2. any delightful surprise or specially pleasant occasion

3. the act of treating

verb

1. (tr) to deal with or regard in a certain manner

   she treats school as a joke

2. (tr) to apply treatment to

   to treat a patient for malaria

3. (tr) to subject to a process or to the application of a substance

   to treat photographic film with developer

4. (tr; often foll by to) to provide (someone) (with) as a treat

   he treated the children to a trip to the zoo

5. formal,  to deal (with), as in writing or speaking

6. formal,  (intr) to discuss settlement; negotiate

Other Word Forms

• treater noun
• nontreated adjective
• overtreat verb
• self-treated adjective
• untreated adjective
• well-treated adjective
• treatable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of treat¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English verb treten, from Old French tretier, traitier, from Latin tractāre “to drag, handle, treat,” frequentative of trahere “to drag”; tract ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of treat¹

C13: from Old French tretier , from Latin tractāre to manage, from trahere to drag

Idioms and Phrases

• Dutch treat
• trick or treat

Example Sentences

Why should private wealth obviate the administration’s responsibility to treat the country’s key structures with the respect they deserve?

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A promising group of medications already used to treat diabetes and obesity may also hold potential for tackling alcohol and drug addiction, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

Read more on Science Daily

In a country that treats art as sacred inheritance, maybe the true suspense isn’t whether they’ll get away.

Read more on Salon

Take, for example, the way Mr. Ellis treats the Revolution itself, where slavery proved problematic morally as well as strategically.

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“If the applicant chooses to treat demolition as a stand-alone project in the District, because the Commission lacks authority over demolition, the applicant is not required to apply to the Commission,” Schuyler wrote.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• conduct 
• consider 
• deal with 
• employ 
• evaluate 
• handle 
• hold 
• look upon www.thesaurus.com
• manage 
• play 
• regard 
• respect 
• serve 
• take 
• use