 |
| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | traitier, from Latin tractare; TRACTABLE |
| |||||||||
treat1 S2 W1
[transitive]
[transitive]1 to behave towards someone or something in a particular way [↪ treatment]
behave towards somebody/something
[always + adverb/preposition] treat somebody like/as something 
She treats me like one of the family.Penny doesn't think her co-workers treat her as an equal. He treated his automobiles almost as tenderly as he did his wife.
She treats me like one of the family.Penny doesn't think her co-workers treat her as an equal.He treated his automobiles almost as tenderly as he did his wife. treat somebody with respect/contempt/courtesy etc Despite her seniority, Margot was never treated with much respect.
Despite her seniority, Margot was never treated with much respect. treat somebody like dirt/a dog (=treat someone unkindly and without respect) I don't know why he stays with her - she treats him like dirt.
I don't know why he stays with her - she treats him like dirt.2 to deal with, regard, or consider something in a particular way [↪ treatment]
deal with something
[always + adverb/preposition] treat something as something Please treat this information as completely confidential. She treats everything I say as a joke.
Please treat this information as completely confidential.She treats everything I say as a joke. treat something favourably/seriously/carefully etc Any complaint about safety standards must be treated very seriously.
Any complaint about safety standards must be treated very seriously.3 to try to cure an illness or injury by using drugs, hospital care, operations etc [↪ treatment]: It was difficult to treat patients because of a shortage of medicine.
illness/injury
It was difficult to treat patients because of a shortage of medicine.4 to buy or do something special for someone that you know they will enjoy
buy something for somebody
5 to put a special substance on something or use a chemical process in order to protect, clean, or preserve it [↪ treatment]: sewage treated so that it can be used as fertilizer
protect/clean
sewage treated so that it can be used as fertilizer