Definition of 'treat'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense treats
, present participle treating
, past tense, past participle treated
1. verb
If you treat someone or something in a particular way, you behave towards them or deal with them in that way.
[Also V n like] 2. verb
3. verb
4. verb
If you want to treat yourself, the Malta Hilton offers high international standards. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
[Also VERB noun] 5. countable noun
If you give someone a treat, you buy or arrange something special for them which they will enjoy.
6. singular noun
If you say that something is your treat, you mean that you are paying for it as a treat for someone else.
[spoken]7.
See a treat
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
You may also like
Word Frequency
treat in British English
noun
1.
2.
3.
the act of treating
verb
6. (transitive)
to subject to a process or to the application of a substance
to treat photographic film with developer
7. (tr; often foll by to)
to provide (someone) (with) as a treat
he treated the children to a trip to the zoo
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
treatable (ˈtreatable) adjective
treater (ˈtreater)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French tretier, from Latin tractāre to manage, from trahere to drag
Word Frequency
treat in American English
verb intransitive
1.
to discuss terms (with a person or for a settlement); negotiate
2.
to deal with a subject in writing or speech; speak or write (of)
verb transitive
4.
to deal with (a subject) in writing, speech, music, painting, etc., esp. in a specified manner or style
5.
to act or behave toward (a person, animal, etc.) in a specified manner
7.
a.
to pay for the food, drink, entertainment, etc. of (another or others)
b.
to provide with something that pleases
8.
to subject to some process or to some substance in processing, as in a chemical procedure
noun
10.
a meal, drink, entertainment, etc. paid for by someone else
11.
anything that gives great pleasure
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
treatability (ˌtreataˈbility)
noun
treatable (ˈtreatable)
adjective
treater (ˈtreater)
noun
Word origin
ME treten < OFr traiter, to handle, meddle, treat < L tractare, freq. of trahere, to drawWord Frequency
treat in American English
(trit)
transitive verb
1.
to act or behave toward (a person) in some specified way
to treat someone with respect
2.
to consider or regard in a specified way, and deal with accordingly
to treat a matter as unimportant
4.
to deal with in speech or writing; discuss
5.
to deal with, develop, or represent artistically, esp. in some specified manner or
style
to treat a theme realistically
6.
to subject to some agent or action in order to bring about a particular result
to treat a substance with an acid
7.
to entertain; give hospitality to
He treats diplomats in the lavish surroundings of his country estate
intransitive verb
9.
to deal with a subject in speech or writing; discourse
a work that treats of the caste system in India
10.
to give, or bear the expense of, a treat
Is it my turn to treat?
11.
to carry on negotiations with a view to a settlement; discuss terms of settlement; negotiate
noun
12.
14.
the act of treating
15.
one's turn to treat
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
treater noun
Word origin
[1250–1300; ME treten (v.) ‹ OF tretier, traitier ‹ L tractāre to drag, handle, treat, freq. of trahere to drag. See tract1]Examples of 'treat' in a sentence
treat
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
More idioms containing
treat
Trends of
treat
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
treat
British English: treat
/triːt/ NOUN
If you give someone a treat, you buy or arrange something special for them which they will enjoy.
His mother had never yet failed to return from town without some special treat for him.
- American English: treat /ˈtrit/
- Arabic: يَدْفَعُ لِشَخْص
- Brazilian Portuguese: mimo
- Chinese: 款待
- Croatian: čašćenje
- Czech: dárek
- Danish: lille gave
- Dutch: traktatie
- European Spanish: gusto placer
- Finnish: mukava yllätys
- French: gâterie
- German: Sondervergnügen
- Greek: κέρασμα
- Italian: piacere
- Japanese: 歓待
- Korean: 대접 즐겁게 하다
- Norwegian: noe spesielt
- Polish: przyjemność
- European Portuguese: mimo
- Romanian: bucurie
- Russian: угощение
- Latin American Spanish: gusto placer
- Swedish: något extra gott
- Thai: การเลี้ยง, การให้ของ
- Turkish: birine ufak bir armağan alma
- Ukrainian: задоволення
- Vietnamese: sự thết đãi
British English: treat
/triːt/ VERB
If you treat someone or something in a particular way, you behave towards them in that way.
Stop treating me like a child.
- American English: treat /ˈtrit/
- Arabic: يُعَامِلُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: tratar
- Chinese: 款待
- Croatian: postupati s nekim
- Czech: zacházet s lidmi
- Danish: behandle
- Dutch: behandelen
- European Spanish: tratar
- Finnish: kohdella
- French: traiter
- German: behandeln
- Greek: μεταχειρίζομαι
- Italian: trattare
- Japanese: 扱う
- Korean: 취급하다
- Norwegian: behandle
- Polish: potraktować
- European Portuguese: tratar
- Romanian: a considera
- Russian: угощать
- Latin American Spanish: tratar
- Swedish: bjuda
- Thai: ปฏิบัติต่อ
- Turkish: davranmak muamele
- Ukrainian: ставитися
- Vietnamese: đối xử
Browse alphabetically
treat
Related terms of
treat
Source
Definition of treat from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
water polo
tennis
snooker
squash
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
baseball
American football
hurdles
rugby
SPORTS
Drag the correct answer into the box.
golf
water polo
hockey
climbing
Your score:
Word of the day
jocular
If you say that someone has a jocular manner, you mean that they are cheerful and often make jokes or try to make people laugh .
Latest Word Submissions
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
MARINE LIFE
Drag the correct answer into the box.
sea urchin
eel
starfish
jellyfish
MARINE LIFE
Drag the correct answer into the box.
starfish
sea urchin
limpet
eel
Your score:
Sting-Nettle Day
We're taking a closer look at the intriguing expressions and customs that have grown up around one of the most versatile plants out there - the stinging nettle.
Read more
Learning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Scrabble: Spoilt for Choice
Strategize your Scrabble moves based on anagrams on the board, score, vowel placement, and hooks to get the best score you can.
Read more
‘100 Words for Rain’ by Alex Johnson
Discover the allure of weather lore and literary references in "100 Words for Rain" and delve into rain phenomena and cultural anecdotes.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more