deal with

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

deal with (third-person singular simple present deals with, present participle dealing with, simple past and past participle dealt with)

1. (transitive) To handle verbally or in some form of artistic expression; to address or discuss as a subject.

   Synonyms: address, cover, handle, plough, treat

   This book deals with incest.

2. (transitive) To take action with respect to (someone or something).

   Synonyms: engage, handle, take on, work

   • 1964 September, “Motive Power Miscellany: BR Workshops”, in Modern Railways, page 220:

     Work on anti-frost precautions on diesel locomotives is to be speeded up to ensure that most if not all locomotives have been dealt with before the winter sets in.

   • 2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

     It is therefore dealing with pollution in two ways—suppression and mitigation.

   The teacher knew how to deal with these lazy students.

3. (transitive) To consider, as an example.

   Synonyms: consider, look at, take

   Let us deal with the case of China.

4. (transitive) To come to terms with; to overcome any difficulties presented by.

   We deal with having just a gallon of gas.

   Thankfully he'd dealt with such issues before, so he had all the necessary experience.

5. (transitive) To be in charge of, act on, or dispose of.

   Synonyms: care for, handle, look after, manage, take care of

   I can deal with this crew of workers.

6. (transitive) To behave in a certain way towards.

   He deals fairly with his employees.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981, Ezekiel 23:25:

     And I will set my ielousie against thee, and they shall deale furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine eares, and thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sonnes and thy daughters, and thy residue shal be deuoured by the fire.

Synonyms

• (come to terms with successfully): come to terms with, contend with, cope with, get by with, grapple with, make do with, make out with, manage with
• (behave in a certain way towards): interact with

Translations

handle verbally or in some form of artistic expression

• Dutch: behandelen (nl)
• Finnish: käsitellä (fi)
• French: traiter (fr)
• German: behandeln (de)

• Irish: pléigh le
• Norwegian: handle om
• Spanish: tratar (es)
• Swedish: behandla (sv), handla om

take action with respect to (someone or something)

• Dutch: behandelen (nl)
• Finnish: hoitaa (fi), käsitellä (fi)
• French: avoir affaire à (fr), aborder (fr)
• Georgian: გამკლავება (gamḳlaveba)
• German: sich auseinandersetzen (de) mit
• Irish: pléigh le

• Italian: fare i conti
• Latin: tractō (la)
• Norman: souongni dé
• Old English: ātēon
• Polish: załatwiać (pl) impf, załatwić (pl) pf
• Portuguese: lidar (pt)
• Russian: справляться с (spravlját’sja s)
• Spanish: tratar (es)
• Swedish: ta hand om (sv), ta itu med (sv), ta tag i (sv)

consider, as of an example

• Polish: rozważać (pl) impf, rozważyć (pl) pf, rozpatrywać (pl) impf, rozpatrzyć (pl) pf
• Russian: рассма́тривать (ru) (rassmátrivatʹ)

• Swedish: beakta (sv)

come to terms with successfully

• French: gérer (fr)
• Polish: radzić sobie (pl) impf, poradzić sobie (pl) pf

• Spanish: tratar con (es)
• Swedish: hantera (sv), klara av (sv)

be in charge of, act on or dispose of

• Swedish: hantera (sv), behandla (sv)

behave in a certain way towards

• Dutch: omgaan met
• Russian: поступать с (postupát’ s)

• Spanish: tratar (es)
• Swedish: behandla (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} tramitar (es)