treat
Pronunciation: /triːt/
verb
- 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
- 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
noun

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

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