Treat definition

trēt
treated treating treats
See word origin
Frequency:
To treat is to act a certain way towards a person or thing or to provide medical aid or help.

An example of treat is when you are nice to your brother.

An example of treat is when a doctor gives you medicine for a disease.

verb
3
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To provide with food, entertainment, or gifts at one's own expense.

Treated her sister to the theater.

verb
3
0
To engage in negotiations, as to reach a settlement or agree on terms.
verb
3
0
A source of a special delight or pleasure.

His trip abroad was a real treat.

noun
3
0
To discuss terms (with a person or for a settlement); negotiate.
verb
3
1
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The definition of a treat is something pleasant that is unexpected or that is offered as a surprise or a reward.

An example of a treat is going out for ice cream.

noun
1
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To give medical aid to (someone).

Treated many patients in the emergency room.

verb
1
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To deal with a subject or topic in writing or speech. Often used with of .

The essay treats of courtly love.

verb
1
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To give medical aid to counteract (a disease or condition).

Treated malaria with quinine.

verb
0
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To pay for another's entertainment, food, or drink.
verb
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0
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Something, such as one's food or entertainment, that is paid for by someone else.
noun
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To deal with a subject in writing or speech; speak or write (of)
verb
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To stand the cost of another's or others' entertainment.
verb
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To deal with (a subject) in writing, speech, music, painting, etc., esp. in a specified manner or style.
verb
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To act or behave toward (a person, animal, etc.) in a specified manner.
verb
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To have a specified attitude toward and deal with accordingly.

To treat a mistake as a joke.

verb
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To subject to some process or to some substance in processing, as in a chemical procedure.
verb
0
0
To give medical or surgical care to (someone) or for (some disorder)
verb
0
0
To pay for the food, drink, entertainment, etc. of (another or others)
verb
0
0
To provide with something that pleases.
verb
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A meal, drink, entertainment, etc. paid for by someone else.
noun
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Anything that gives great pleasure.
noun
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The act of treating or entertaining.
noun
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Someone's turn to treat.
noun
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(intransitive) To negotiate, discuss terms, bargain (for or with). [from 13th c.]
verb
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(intransitive) To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to conduct a discussion. [from 14th c.]

Cicero's writing treats mainly of old age and personal duty.

verb
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To discourse on; to represent or deal with in a particular way, in writing or speaking. [from 14th c.]

The article treated feminism as a quintessentially modern movement.

verb
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To handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way. [from 14th c.]

You treated me like a fool.

She was tempted to treat the whole affair as a joke.

verb
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To entertain with food or drink, especially at one's own expense; to show hospitality to; to pay for as celebration or reward. [from 16th c.]

I treated my son to some popcorn in the interval.

I've done so well this month, I'll treat you all to dinner ('Dinner is my treat.)

My husband treated me to a Paris holiday for our anniversary.

verb
0
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To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to. [from 18th c.]

They treated me for malaria.

verb
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To subject to a chemical or other action; to act upon with a specific scientific result in mind. [from 19th c.]

The substance was treated with sulphuric acid.

I treated the photo somewhat to make the colours more pronounced.

verb
0
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An entertainment, outing, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others.

I took the kids to the zoo for a treat.

noun
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An unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure.

It was such a treat to see her back in action on the London stage.

noun
0
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To act or behave in a specified manner toward.

Treated me fairly.

verb
0
1
To regard and handle in a certain way. Often used with as .

Treated the matter as a joke.

verb
0
1
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To deal with in writing or speech; discuss.

A book that treats all aspects of health care.

verb
0
1
To deal with or represent artistically in a specified manner or style.

Treats the subject poetically.

verb
0
1
To subject to a process, action, or change, especially to a chemical or physical process or application.

Treated the cloth with bleach.

verb
0
1
To give (someone or oneself) something pleasurable.

Treated herself to a day in the country.

verb
0
1

Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
treat
Plural:
treats

Origin of treat

  • Middle English tretien from Old French traitier from Latin tractāre frequentative of trahere to draw

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Anglo-Norman treter, Old French tretier, from Latin trāctare (“to pull", "to manage"), from the past participle stem of trahere (“to draw", "to pull").

    From Wiktionary

Treat Sentence Examples

  • Don't treat me that way, Alex.

  • Treat them with respect and take care of them.

  • Is that the way to treat my friends?

  • We can't treat each other this way, Carmen.

  • By watching them, she learned to treat her pupil as nearly as possible like an ordinary child.

More sentences

Related articles

Also Mentioned In

Words near treat in the Dictionary