treat Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun something considered choice to eat
    goody; kickshaw; delicacy; dainty.
  2. noun an occurrence that causes special pleasure or delight
  3. verb interact in a certain way
    do by; handle.
    • Do right by her
    • Treat him with caution, please
    • Handle the press reporters gently
  4. verb subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition
    process.
    • process cheese
    • process hair
    • treat the water so it can be drunk
    • treat the lawn with chemicals
    • treat an oil spill
  5. verb provide treatment for
    care for.
    • The doctor treated my broken leg
    • The nurses cared for the bomb victims
    • The patient must be treated right away or she will die
    • Treat the infection with antibiotics
  6. verb act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
    plow; handle; deal; cover; address.
    • This book deals with incest
    • The course covered all of Western Civilization
    • The new book treats the history of China
  7. verb provide with a gift or entertainment
    • Grandmother always treated us to the circus
    • I like to treat myself to a day at a spa when I am depressed
  8. verb provide with choice or abundant food or drink
    regale.
    • Don't worry about the expensive wine--I'm treating
    • She treated her houseguests with good food every night
  9. verb engage in negotiations in order to reach an agreement
    • they had to treat with the King
  10. verb regard or consider in a specific way
    • I treated his advances as a joke

WordNet

Treat transitive verb
Etymology
OE. treten, OF. traitier, F. traiter, from L. tractare to draw violently, to handle, manage, treat, v. intens. from trahere, tractum, to draw. See Trace, v. t., and cf. Entreat, Retreat, Trait.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Treated; present participle & verbal noun Treating
Definitions
  1. To handle; to manage; to use; to bear one's self toward; as, to treat prisoners cruelly; to treat children kindly.
  2. To discourse on; to handle in a particular manner, in writing or speaking; as, to treat a subject diffusely.
  3. To entertain with food or drink, especially the latter, as a compliment, or as an expression of friendship or regard; as, to treat the whole company.
  4. To negotiate; to settle; to make terms for. Obs.
    To treat the peace, a hundred senators Shall be commissioned. Dryden.
  5. (Med.) To care for medicinally or surgically; to manage in the use of remedies or appliances; as, to treat a disease, a wound, or a patient.
  6. To subject to some action; to apply something to; as, to treat a substance with sulphuric acid. Ure.
  7. To entreat; to beseech. Obs. Ld. Berners.
Treat intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to make discussion; -- usually with of; as, Cicero treats of old age and of duties.
    And, shortly of this story for to treat. Chaucer.
    Now of love they treat. Milton.
  2. To negotiate; to come to terms of accommodation; -- often followed by with; as, envoys were appointed to treat with France.
    Inform us, will the emperor treat! Swift.
  3. To give a gratuitous entertainment, esp. of food or drink, as a compliment.
Treat noun
Definitions
  1. A parley; a conference. Obs.
    Bid him battle without further treat. Spenser.
  2. An entertainment given as an expression of regard.
  3. That which affords entertainment; a gratification; a satisfaction; as, the concert was a rich treat.

Webster 1913