treat
See also: Treat
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English treten, from Anglo-Norman treter, Old French tretier, traiter, from Latin tractāre (“to pull", "to manage”), from the past participle stem of trahere (“to draw", "to pull”).
Pronunciation
editVerb
edittreat (third-person singular simple present treats, present participle treating, simple past and past participle treated or (Northern England, Bristol, colloquial) tret)
- (intransitive) To negotiate, discuss terms, bargain (for or with). [from 13th c.]
- 1955, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, George Allen & Unwin:
- Now halting a few paces before the Captains of the West he looked them up and down and laughed. 'Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?' he asked.
- 1985, Lawrence Durrell, Quinx, Faber & Faber:
- After all, in this hideous war we have just passed through never forget that Halifax would have treated with Hitler: it took Churchill to refuse.
- 2010 June 6, David Mitchell, The Observer:
- I wouldn't promote businesses I considered immoral – ambulance-chasing lawyers or online roulette for example – but I've got nothing against computer or software manufacture: they're important and any reputable company in that industry is welcome to treat for my services.
- (intransitive) To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to conduct a discussion. [from 14th c.]
- Cicero's writing treats mainly of old age and personal duty.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- Now of love they treat.
- 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:
- And, indeed, should the excellent Mr Broughton be prevailed on to set fist to paper, and to complete the above-said rudiments, by delivering down the true principles of athletics, I question whether the world will have any cause to lament, that none of the great writers, either antient or modern, have ever treated about that noble and useful art.
- (transitive) To discourse on; to represent or deal with in a particular way, in writing or speaking. [from 14th c.]
- The article treated feminism as a quintessentially modern movement.
- (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To entreat or beseech (someone). [14th–17th c.]
- Only let my family live, I treat thee.
- 1515, Alexander Barclay, Eclogues:
- To treate a tiran it is but thing in vayne.
- (transitive) To handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way. [from 14th c.]
- You treated me like a fool.
- She was tempted to treat the whole affair as a joke.
- (transitive) To entertain with food or drink, especially at one's own expense; to show hospitality to; to pay for as celebration or reward. [from 16th c.]
- I treated my son to some popcorn in the interval.
- I've done so well this month, I'll treat you all to dinner (or Dinner is my treat.)
- My husband treated me to a Paris holiday for our anniversary.
- (UK politics, law) To commit the offence of providing food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence a voter.
- (transitive) To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to. [from 18th c.]
- They treated me for malaria.
- 2018, Sandeep Jauhar, Heart: a History, →ISBN, page 204:
- We treated firefighters suffering from smoke inhalation, giving them oxygen to breathe and albuterol mist to help open their airways.
- (transitive) To subject to a chemical or other action; to act upon with a specific scientific result in mind. [from 19th c.]
- He treated the substance with sulphuric acid.
- I treated the photo somewhat to make the colours more pronounced.
- To provide something special and pleasant.
- 1976 December 4, “Men's Center”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 23, page 2:
- If good acting in movies is appealing and you enjoy live performances of theatre, you may soon be treated by the GMC's own endeavors in the theatrical arts.
- 2012, Chelsea 6-0 Wolves[1]:
- The Chelsea captain was a virtual spectator as he was treated to his side's biggest win for almost two years as Stamford Bridge serenaded him with chants of "there's only one England captain," some 48 hours after he announced his retirement from international football.
Conjugation
editConjugation of treat
infinitive | (to) treat | ||
---|---|---|---|
present tense | past tense | ||
1st-person singular | treat | treated | |
2nd-person singular | treat, treatest† | treated, treatedst† | |
3rd-person singular | treats, treateth† | treated | |
plural | treat | ||
subjunctive | treat | treated | |
imperative | treat | — | |
participles | treating | treated |
Synonyms
edit- (to deal with in a very specific way): behandle
- (give medical care or attention to): leech, make better
Derived terms
editRelated terms
editTranslations
editto negotiate
|
to discourse, conduct a discussion
|
to handle a subject in writing or speaking
|
to entreat or beseech
to handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way
|
to entertain with food or drink
|
to care for medicinally or surgically
|
to subject to a chemical or other action
|
to provide something special and pleasant
|
- 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
Noun
edittreat (plural treats)
- An entertainment, outing, food, drink, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others.
- I took the kids to the zoo for a treat.
- Here are some healthy Halloween treats for ghouls and witches of all ages.
- An unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure.
- It was such a treat to see her back in action on the London stage.
- A snack food item designed to be given to pets.
- I lured the cat into her carrier by throwing a couple of treats in there.
- (obsolete) A parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation.
- (obsolete) An entreaty.
Derived terms
editTranslations
editan entertainment, outing, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others
|
an unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure
|
a snack food item designed to be given to pets
(obsolete) a parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation — see negotiation
(obsolete) an entreaty — see entreaty
Anagrams
editCategories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Anglo-Norman
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 1-syllable words
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- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/iːt
- Rhymes:English/iːt/1 syllable
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with quotations
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- English transitive verbs
- English terms with obsolete senses
- en:UK politics
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- English nouns
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