treat - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From 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”).

treat (third-person singular simple present treats, present participle treating, simple past and past participle treated or (Northern England, Bristol, colloquial) tret)

  1. (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.
  2. (intransitive) To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to conduct a discussion. [from 14th c.]
    Synonyms: chat, discourse, parley; see also Thesaurus:converse
    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.
    • 1981, Aristotle, translated by W. Rhys Roberts and Ingram Bywater, Rhetoric and On Poetics, Pennsylvania: The Franklin Library, →OL, A Note on the Illustrations:
      Rhetoric includes the earliest known theory on the proper use of metaphor; On Poetics treats the role of symbolism in drama and poetry.
  3. (transitive) To discourse on; to represent or deal with in a particular way, in writing or speaking. [from 14th c.]
    Synonyms: bespeak, discuss, talk about; see also Thesaurus:discuss
    The article treated feminism as a quintessentially modern movement.
  4. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To entreat or beseech (someone). [14th–17th c.]
    Only let my family live, I treat thee.
  5. (transitive) To handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way. [from 14th c.]
    Synonyms: behandle, deal with, use
    You treated me like a fool.
    She was tempted to treat the whole affair as a joke.
  6. (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.
  7. (UK politics, law) To commit the offence of providing food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence a voter.
  8. (transitive) To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to. [from 18th c.]
    Synonyms: leech, make better
    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.
  9. (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.
  10. (transitive) To provide (someone) with something special and pleasant.

to negotiate

to discourse, conduct a discussion

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

treat (plural treats)

  1. 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.
  2. An unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure.
    It was such a treat to see her back in action on the London stage.
  3. A snack food.
    These coconut and marshmallow treats are easy to make.
    Here are some healthy Halloween treats for ghouls and witches of all ages.
    1. 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.
  4. (obsolete) A parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation.
  5. (obsolete) An entreaty.

an entertainment, outing, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others

a snack food item designed to be given to pets

(obsolete) a parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation — see negotiation