dictionary definitions for "treat"


From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  treat
      n 1: something considered choice to eat [syn: dainty,
           delicacy, goody, kickshaw, treat]
      2: an occurrence that causes special pleasure or delight
      v 1: interact in a certain way; "Do right by her"; "Treat him
           with caution, please"; "Handle the press reporters gently"
           [syn: treat, handle, do by]
      2: subject to a process or treatment, with the aim of readying
         for some purpose, improving, or remedying a condition;
         "process cheese"; "process hair"; "treat the water so it can
         be drunk"; "treat the lawn with chemicals" ; "treat an oil
         spill" [syn: process, treat]
      3: provide treatment 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" [syn: treat, care for]
      4: act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression; "This
         book deals with incest"; "The course covered all of Western
         Civilization"; "The new book treats the history of China"
         [syn: cover, treat, handle, plow, deal, address]
      5: 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"
      6: provide with choice or abundant food or drink; "Don't worry
         about the expensive wine--I'm treating"; "She treated her
         houseguests with good food every night" [syn: regale,
         treat]
      7: engage in negotiations in order to reach an agreement; "they
         had to treat with the King"
      8: regard or consider in a specific way; "I treated his advances
         as a joke"

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Treat \Treat\, v. i.
     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.
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              And, shortly of this story for to treat. --Chaucer.
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              Now of love they treat.               --Milton.
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     2. To negotiate; to come to terms of accommodation; -- often
        followed by with; as, envoys were appointed to treat with
        France.
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              Inform us, will the emperor treat!    --Swift.
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     3. To give a gratuitous entertainment, esp. of food or drink,
        as a compliment.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Treat \Treat\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Treated; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Treating.] [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.]
     1. To handle; to manage; to use; to bear one's self toward;
        as, to treat prisoners cruelly; to treat children kindly.
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     2. To discourse on; to handle in a particular manner, in
        writing or speaking; as, to treat a subject diffusely.
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     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.
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     4. To negotiate; to settle; to make terms for. [Obs.]
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              To treat the peace, a hundred senators
              Shall be commissioned.                --Dryden.
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     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.
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     6. To subject to some action; to apply something to; as, to
        treat a substance with sulphuric acid. --Ure.
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     7. To entreat; to beseech. [Obs.] --Ld. Berners.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Treat \Treat\, n.
     1. A parley; a conference. [Obs.]
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              Bid him battle without further treat. --Spenser.
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     2. An entertainment given as an expression of regard.
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     3. That which affords entertainment; a gratification; a
        satisfaction; as, the concert was a rich treat.
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