treat

[treet]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR treat ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way: to treat someone with respect.

to consider or regard in a specified way, and deal with accordingly: to treat a matter as unimportant.

to deal with (a disease, patient, etc.) in order to relieve or cure.

to deal with in speech or writing; discuss.

to deal with, develop, or represent artistically, especially in some specified manner or style: to treat a theme realistically.

to subject to some agent or action in order to bring about a particular result: to treat a substance with an acid.

to entertain; give hospitality to: He treats diplomats in the lavish surroundings of his country estate.

to provide food, entertainment, gifts, etc., at one's own expense: Let me treat you to dinner.

verb (used without object)

to deal with a subject in speech or writing; discourse: a work that treats of the caste system in India.

to give, or bear the expense of, a treat: Is it my turn to treat?

to carry on negotiations with a view to a settlement; discuss terms of settlement; negotiate.

noun

entertainment, food, drink, etc., given by way of compliment or as an expression of friendly regard.

anything that affords particular pleasure or enjoyment.

the act of treating.

one's turn to treat.

Origin of treat

1250–1300; Middle English treten (v.) < Old French tretier, traitier < Latin tractāre to drag, handle, treat, frequentative of trahere to drag. See tract¹

Related formstreat·er, nounnon·treat·ed, adjectiveo·ver·treat, verbself-treat·ed, adjectiveun·treat·ed, adjectivewell-treat·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for treated

use, manage, handle, consider, evaluate, regard, serve, play, employ, take, conduct, respect, hold, prescribe, administer, cure, operate, dress, heal, provide

Examples from the Web for treated

Contemporary Examples of treated

A couple of people were treated for minor injuries but no major incidents occurred.
Slow Motion Tiger Jump, a Tornado at the Rose Bowl and More Viral Videos
The Daily Beast Video
January 4, 2015
It was original in how it treated Nixon and his connection to the right before 1968.
Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society
Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch
January 4, 2015
Those who served abroad were treated with suspicion that they had been infected by European diplomacy.
U.S. Embassies Have Always Been for Sale
William O’Connor
January 2, 2015
He was treated like an immigrant, working for minimum wage, missing his family and having to move on from his musical career.
Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar
Daniel Levin
December 26, 2014
When my oldest child was a toddler, I treated illuminated screens like plutonium.
Yes, Your Toddler Can Watch TV: The New Rules for Screen Time
Russell Saunders
December 26, 2014

Historical Examples of treated

And there was big, handsome, Eddie Arledge, whose father had treated him shabbily.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
Every one we came in contact with, both high and low, treated us most kindly.
Explorations in Australia
John Forrest
Treated as I am, now is the time for me to speak out or never.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
"You've treated me damned badly," said Banstead, turning on his heel.
Viviette
William J. Locke
I have no right to be treated as if I didn't know what I was about.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for treated

treat

noun

a celebration, entertainment, gift, or feast given for or to someone and paid for by another

any delightful surprise or specially pleasant occasion

the act of treating

verb

(tr) to deal with or regard in a certain mannershe treats school as a joke

(tr) to apply treatment toto treat a patient for malaria

(tr) to subject to a process or to the application of a substanceto treat photographic film with developer

(tr ; often foll by to) to provide (someone) (with) as a treathe treated the children to a trip to the zoo

(intr usually foll by of) formal to deal (with), as in writing or speaking

(intr) formal to discuss settlement; negotiate

Derived Formstreatable, adjectivetreater, noun

Word Origin for treat

C13: from Old French tretier, from Latin tractāre to manage, from trahere to drag

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for treated

treat

c.1300, "negotiate, bargain, deal with," from Old French traiter (12c.), from Latin tractare "manage, handle, deal with," originally "drag about," frequentative of trahere (past participle tractus) "to pull, draw" (see tract (n.1)). Meaning "to entertain with food and drink by way of compliment or kindness (or bribery)" is recorded from c.1500. Sense of "deal with in speech or writing" (early 14c.) led to the use in medicine (1781), "to attempt to heal or cure." Related: Treated; treating.

treat

late 14c., "action of discussing terms," from treat (v.). Sense of "a treating with food and drink" (1650s) was extended by 1770 to "anything that gives pleasure."

treated in Medicine