treat
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.
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.
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
1Other words from treat
- treater, noun
- non·treat·ed, adjective
- o·ver·treat, verb
- self-treated, adjective
- un·treat·ed, adjective
- well-treated, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use treat in a sentence
Night Shift By Stephen King Question for you trick-or-treaters: Is Stephen King a short-story writer posing as a novelist?
Carbon plant No. 3, showing treater room and west side batteries of Dorsite treaters.
America's Munitions 1917-1918 | Benedict Crowell
British Dictionary definitions for treat
/ (triːt) /
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
(tr) to deal with or regard in a certain manner: she treats school as a joke
(tr) to apply treatment to: to treat a patient for malaria
(tr) to subject to a process or to the application of a substance: to treat photographic film with developer
(tr ; often foll by to) to provide (someone) (with) as a treat: he 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
Origin of treat
1Derived forms of treat
- treatable, adjective
- treater, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with treat
In addition to the idiom beginning with treat
- treat like dirt
also see:
- Dutch treat
- trick or treat
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse