/ triːt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
[ vn ]
BEHAVE TOWARDS SB / STH
1.
treat sb/sth (with / as / like sth) to behave in a particular way towards sb/sth :
to treat people with respect / consideration / suspicion, etc.
Treat your keyboard with care and it should last for years.
My parents still treat me like a child.
He was treated as a hero on his release from prison.
CONSIDER
2.
treat sth as sth to consider sth in a particular way :
I decided to treat his remark as a joke.
3.
to deal with or discuss sth in a particular way :
The question is treated in more detail in the next chapter.
ILLNESS / INJURY
4.
treat sb (for sth) (with sth) to give medical care or attention to a person, an illness, an injury, etc. :
She was treated for sunstroke.
The condition is usually treated with drugs and a strict diet.
USE CHEMICAL
5.
treat sth (with sth) to use a chemical substance or process to clean, protect, preserve, etc. sth :
to treat crops with insecticide
wood treated with preservative
PAY FOR STH ENJOYABLE
6.
treat sb / yourself (to sth) to pay for sth that sb/you will enjoy and that you do not usually have or do :
She treated him to lunch.
Don't worry about the cost—I'll treat you.
I'm going to treat myself to a new pair of shoes.
► treat·able adjective :
a treatable infection
•
IDIOMS
- treat sb like dirt
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- treat sb to sth
■ noun
something very pleasant and enjoyable, especially sth that you give sb or do for them :
We took the kids to the zoo as a special treat .
You've never been to this area before? Then you're in for a real treat.
When I was young chocolate was a treat.
Let's go out for lunch— my treat (= I will pay) .
➡ note at pleasure
•
IDIOMS
- a treat
—more at trick noun
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the senses negotiate and discuss a subject ): from Old French traitier , from Latin tractare handle, frequentative of trahere draw, pull. The current noun sense dates from the mid 17th cent.