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¹treat

verb \ˈtrēt\

: to deal with or think about (something) especially in a particular way

: to think of and act toward (someone or something) in a specified way

: to pay for someone's food, drink, or entertainment

Full Definition of TREAT

intransitive verb

: to discuss terms of accommodation or settlement : negotiate

: to deal with a matter especially in writing : discourse —usually used with of <a book treating of conservation>

: to pay another's expenses (as for a meal or drink) especially as a compliment or as an expression of regard or friendship

transitive verb

a : to deal with in speech or writing : expound

b : to present or represent artistically

c : to deal with : handle <food is plentiful and treated with imagination — Cecil Beaton>

a : to bear oneself toward : use <treat a horse cruelly>

b : to regard and deal with in a specified manner —usually used with as <treat the matter as confidential>

a : to provide with free food, drink, or entertainment <they treated us to lunch>

b : to provide with enjoyment or gratification

: to care for or deal with medically or surgically <treat a disease>

: to act upon with some agent especially to improve or alter <treat a metal with acid>

— treat·er noun

See treat defined for English-language learners

See treat defined for kids

Origin of TREAT

Middle English treten, from Anglo-French treter, traiter, traitier, from Latin tractare to drag about, handle, deal with, frequentative of trahere to drag, pull

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to TREAT

Synonyms: act (toward), be (to), deal (with), handle, serve, use, do by

Rhymes with TREAT

beat, beet, bleat, cheat, cleat, Crete, deet, eat, feat, fleet, Geat, gleet, greet, heat, lied, meat, meet, mete, neat, peat, pleat, seat, sheet, skeet, sleet, street, suite, sweet, teat, tweet, weet, wheat

²treat

noun

: an occurrence in which you pay for someone's food, drink, or entertainment

: something pleasant or amusing that is unusual or unexpected

: something that tastes good and that is not eaten often

Full Definition of TREAT

a : an entertainment given without expense to those invited

b : the act of providing another with free food, drink, or entertainment <dinner will be my treat>

: an especially unexpected source of joy, delight, or amusement <seeing her again was a treat>

See treat defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of TREAT

1651

Related to TREAT

Synonyms: delectation, feast, gas [slang], joy, kick, manna, pleasure, delight

TREATED Defined for Kids

¹treat

verb \ˈtrēt\

treat·edtreat·ing

Definition of TREAT for Kids

: to handle, deal with, use, or act toward in a usually stated way <Treat this as secret.> <… “Don't you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda?” … — Eleanor Estes, The Hundred Dresses>

: to pay for the food or entertainment of <I'll treat you to dinner.>

: to give medical or surgical care to : use medical care on <The patient was treated for fever.> <Doctors sometimes treat cancer with drugs.>

: to expose to some action (as of a chemical) <Gardeners treat soil with lime.>