treat

 
Pronunciation: /triːt/

verb

[with object]
  • 1behave towards or deal with in a certain way: she had been brutally treated he treated her with grave courtesy
  • (treat something as) regard something as being of a specified nature with implications for one’s actions concerning it: the names are being treated as classified information
  • present or discuss (a subject): the issue is more fully treated in chapter five
  • 2give medical care or attention to; try to heal or cure: the two were treated for cuts and bruises
  • 3apply a process or a substance to (something) to protect or preserve it or to give it particular properties: the lawns were treated with weedkiller every year
  • 4 (treat someone to) provide someone with (food, drink, or entertainment) at one’s own expense: he treated her to a slap-up lunch
  • give someone (something) as a favour: he treated her to one of his smiles
  • (treat oneself) do or have something that gives one great pleasure: treat yourself—you can diet tomorrow
  • 5 [no object] negotiate terms with someone, especially an opponent: propagandists claimed that he was treating with the enemy

noun

  • an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure: he wanted to take her to the pictures as a treat
  • (one's treat) an act of treating someone to something: ‘My treat,’ he insisted, reaching for the bill
  • North American a sweet, biscuit, or other item of sweet food.

Phrases

—— a treat

British informal
do something specified very well or satisfactorily: their tactics worked a treat
(look a treat) look attractive: I don’t know whether she can act, but she looks a treat

treat something lightly

regard something as unimportant: this is a serious matter and he can’t treat it lightly

Derivatives

treatable

adjective

treater

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the senses 'negotiate' and 'discuss a subject'): from Old French traitier, from Latin tractare 'handle', frequentative of trahere 'draw, pull'. The current noun sense dates from the mid 17th century