treat
/tɹiːt/ verb, noun, proper noun
Forms treats treating treated tret treatest treatedst treateth
- verb (intransitive) To negotiate, discuss terms, bargain (for or with).
- verb (intransitive) To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to conduct a discussion. “Cicero's writing treats mainly of old age and personal duty.”
- verb (transitive) To discourse on; to represent or deal with in a particular way, in writing or speaking. “The article treated feminism as a quintessentially modern movement.”
- verb (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To entreat or beseech (someone). “Only let my family live, I treat thee.”
- verb (transitive) To handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way. “You treated me like a fool.”
- verb (transitive) To entertain with food or drink, especially at one's own expense; to show hospitality to; to pay for as celebration or reward. “I treated my son to some popcorn in the interval.”
- verb (UK politics, law) To commit the offence of providing food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence a voter.
- verb (transitive) To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to. “They treated me for malaria.”
- noun 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.”
- noun An unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure. “It was such a treat to see her back in action on the London stage.”
- noun A snack food. “These coconut and marshmallow treats are easy to make.”
- noun 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.”
- noun (obsolete) A parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation.
- noun (obsolete) An entreaty.
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
chat discourse parley common confab confabulate conversate converse convo jaw word bespeak discuss talk about bechat confer betalk moot talk over behandle dainty delicacy goody kickshaw handle do by process care for cover plow
Etymology
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To handle; to manage; to use; to bear one's self toward; as, to treat prisoners cruelly; to treat children kindly.
- verb To discourse on; to handle in a particular manner, in writing or speaking; as, to treat a subject diffusely.
- verb To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to make discussion; --usually with of; as, Cicero treats of old age and of duties.
- verb To negotiate; to come to terms of accommodation; --often followed by with; as, envoys were appointed to treat with France.
Etymology [OE. treten, OF. traitier, F. traiter, from L. tractare to draw violently, to handle, manage, treat, v. intens. from trahere, tractum, to draw. See Trace, v. t., and cf. Entreat, Retreat, Trait.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “treat”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details