verb

treat

TREET/triːt/

To deal with someone or something in a particular way.

She treats her tired visitor kindly, offering a chair and drink.

A welcoming adult kindly offers a chair and warm drink to a tired visitor, considerate treatment clear in gesture.

Etymology

Latin tractare connected physical handling with conducting oneself toward someone. Treat preserves that extension from handling things to dealing with people in a particular manner.

In context

Soft White Underbelly5:16

you treat him you treat him with respect he's going to treat you good but if you act a fool he's going to treat you as bad as you want to be treated

Prison Warden interview-David Mills

More examples

The manager treated every employee with respect.
They have treated the wooden fence against rot.
He treats criticism as a chance to improve.

Forms

treat · treats · treated · treating

treatment noun — The way someone or something is handled.

Similar words

handle: Often emphasizes managing a situation rather than personal conduct.
regard: Describes how something is viewed, not necessarily how it is handled.