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Webster 1913 Edition

Treat

Treat

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Treated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Treating
.]
[
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
,
Verb.
T.
, and cf.
Entreat
,
Retreat
,
Trait
.]
1.
To handle; to manage; to use; to bear one’s self toward;
as, to
treat
prisoners cruelly; to
treat
children kindly.
2.
To discourse on; to handle in a particular manner, in writing or speaking;
as, to
treat
a subject diffusely
.
3.
To entertain with food or drink, especially the latter, as a compliment, or as an expression of friendship or regard;
as, to
treat
the whole company
.
4.
To negotiate; to settle; to make terms for.
[Obs.]
To
treat
the peace, a hundred senators
Shall be commissioned.
Dryden.
5.
(Med.)
To care for medicinally or surgically; to manage in the use of remedies or appliances;
as, to
treat
a disease, a wound, or a patient
.
6.
To subject to some action; to apply something to;
as, to
treat
a substance with sulphuric acid
.
Ure.
7.
To entreat; to beseech.
[Obs.]
Ld. Berners.

Treat

,
Verb.
I.
1.
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
.
And, shortly of this story for to
treat
.
Chaucer.
Now of love they
treat
.
Milton.
2.
To negotiate; to come to terms of accommodation; – often followed by with;
as, envoys were appointed to
treat
with France
.
Inform us, will the emperor
treat
!
Swift.
3.
To give a gratuitous entertainment, esp. of food or drink, as a compliment.

Treat

,
Noun.
1.
A parley; a conference.
[Obs.]
Bid him battle without further
treat
.
Spenser.
2.
An entertainment given as an expression of regard.
3.
That which affords entertainment; a gratification; a satisfaction;
as, the concert was a rich
treat
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Treat

TREAT

,
Verb.
T.
[L. tracto.]
1.
To handle; to manage; to use. Subjects are usually faithful or treacherous, according as they are well or ill treated. To treat prisoners ill, is the characteristic of barbarians. Let the wife of your bosom be kindly treated.
2.
To handle in a particular manner, in writing or speaking; as, to treat a subject diffusely.
3.
To entertain without expense to the guest.
4.
To negotiate; to settle; as, to treat a peace. [Not in use.]
5.
To manage in the application of remedies; as, to treat a disease or a patient.

TREAT

,
Verb.
I.
To discourse; to handle in writing or speaking; to make discussion. Cicero treats of the nature of the gods; he treats of old age and of duties.
1.
To come to terms of accommodation.
Inform us, will the emp'ror treat?
2.
To make gratuitous entertainment. It is sometimes the custom of military officers to treat when first elected.
To treat with, to negotiate; to make and receive proposals for adjusting differences. Envoys were appointed to treat with France, but without success.

TREAT

,
Noun.
An entertainment given; as a parting treat.
1.
Something given for entertainment; as a rich treat.
2.
Emphatically, a rich entertainment.

Definition 2024

treat

treat

English

Verb

treat ‎(third-person singular simple present treats, present participle treating, simple past and past participle treated)

  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 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 1365:
      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, David Mitchell, The Observer, 6 Jun 2010:
      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.]
    Cicero's writing treats mainly of old age and personal duty.
    • Milton
      Now of love they treat.
  3. (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.
  4. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To entreat or beseech (someone). [14th-17th c.]
    Only let my family live, I treat thee.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ld. Berners to this entry?)
  5. (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.
  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. (transitive) To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to. [from 18th c.]
    They treated me for malaria.
  8. (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.
  9. To provide something special and pleasant.
    • 2012, Chelsea 6-0 Wolves
      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.

Usage notes

In the dialects found in Yorkshire and North East England, the past tense and past participle form tret (/tɹɛt/) is sometimes encountered.

Synonyms

  • (to deal with in a very specific way): behandle

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

treat ‎(plural treats)

  1. An entertainment, outing, 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. (obsolete) A parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation.
  4. (obsolete) An entreaty.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English treten, from Anglo-Norman treter, Old French tretier, traiter, from Latin trāctare ‎(“to pull", "to manage”), from the past participle stem of trahere ‎(“to draw", "to pull”).

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /tɹit/, [tɹiʔ(t̚)], [t͡ʃɹiʔ(t̚)]
  • Rhymes: -iːt

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