treats
/triːt/ (bre, ipa) · [trˈits] /triːt/ (ame, ipa) · [trˈits] /ˈtrēt How to pronounce treat (audio)/ (ame, mw)
treats — verb
- treatspresent simple I / you / we / they
- treatses3rd person singular
- treatsing-ing form
- treatsedpast simple
1. to show a certain attitude to a person, or to handle a matter in the way you cho
to show a certain attitude to a person, or to handle a matter in the way you choose.
Gabriel treats every new intern with patience during the first week.
treat + with + noun (manner)
The school treats bullying reports as urgent cases that need action.
treat + as + noun phrase
Roya's older cousin still treats her like a child at family dinners.
The shelter treats every injured bird gently before release.
- mistreat
the opposite — to treat someone badly or cruelly
文法句型
treat + noun/pronoun + adverb/prepositional phrase
treat + noun/pronoun + like/as + noun/adjective
passive: be + treated + adverb
用法筆記
Common in passive voice when the manner of treatment is emphasized. Often paired with adverbs or with 'as' and 'like' to show judgment, comparison, or fairness.
常見錯誤
2. to give medical care or use medicine and other methods to help an illness, injur
to give medical care or use medicine and other methods to help an illness, injury, or patient get better.
Dr. Okafor treats Jin's swollen ankle with ice and a firm bandage.
treat + injury + with + method
The clinic treats about fifty children for asthma every month.
treat + person + for + condition
The gel treats sunburn and bug bites without leaving greasy marks.
The hospital treats Roya for migraines with both medicine and rest.
- neglect
to fail to give medical care to someone who needs it
文法句型
treat + person + for + condition
treat + condition + with + method/substance
passive: be treated for [condition]
用法筆記
The direct object can be the person receiving care, the illness, or the injured body part. When the illness is named separately, 'treat someone for [condition]' is the usual pattern.
常見錯誤
3. to pay for something enjoyable for another person, or for yourself, as a kind or
to pay for something enjoyable for another person, or for yourself, as a kind or celebratory act.
Mauricio treats his lab group to noodles after every big exam.
treat + someone + to + meal
Our aunt treats us to mango ice cream on the first hot day.
Dahlia treats herself to fresh flowers after payday each month.
Jisoo treats the whole class to bubble tea after the recital.
- pay for
more transactional; lacks the generous or celebratory tone of 'treat'
- take someone out
phrasal verb; usually implies going somewhere together
文法句型
treat + someone + to + something
treat + yourself + to + something
treat + [group] + to + [food/event]
用法筆記
Always followed by 'to' before the thing being paid for. Reflexive use ('treat yourself') is common when someone buys something special for their own enjoyment.
常見錯誤
4. to apply a substance or special process to wood, cloth, metal, or another surfac
to apply a substance or special process to wood, cloth, metal, or another surface so it is better protected or changed in a useful way.
The factory treats cotton with wax to keep rain jackets dry.
treat + material + with + substance
Vikram treats the garden wood with oil before the wet season.
The workshop treats steel parts with zinc before they leave the plant.
The company treats the paper with a thin coat to stop grease from leaking through.
文法句型
treat + material + with + substance
be treated to + verb (infinitive of purpose)
passive: is treated + adverb/purpose clause
用法筆記
Common in technical or instructional writing about materials. The object is usually a surface or product rather than a person, and the purpose is often stated with 'to' plus a result such as protection or resistance.
treats — noun
1. an enjoyable event or experience that feels special, often because it is a rewar
an enjoyable event or experience that feels special, often because it is a reward, a surprise, or a break from normal life.
Friday movie nights are little treats after a long school week.
little treats after + time period
For the twins, train rides into Taipei are rare treats.
Quiet mornings by the lake feel like treats during summer camp.
Snowy days at home are special treats for the neighborhood children.
- chore
something unpleasant or tiring rather than enjoyable
文法句型
a treat
such a treat
a real treat
be a treat to + infinitive
用法筆記
This sense is about the enjoyable experience itself. It often appears with words like 'real', 'little', or 'special' to emphasize how pleasant the event feels.
2. a thing that someone buys or gives to make themselves or another person feel hap
a thing that someone buys or gives to make themselves or another person feel happy, especially as a small reward.
The silk scarves in that window are treats Dahlia buys after months of hard work.
treats + person buys for self-reward
Those bakery cakes are birthday treats for Gabriel and his sisters.
Fresh notebooks and colored pens are small treats Jin gets before each term.
The earrings online look like treats Roya might buy with her bonus.
- indulgence
often suggests giving in to a desire, sometimes with a guilty feeling
- luxury
usually refers to something more expensive or high-status
- gift
more strongly suggests something given by another person
文法句型
[possessive] + treat
a little treat
a birthday treat
用法筆記
Sense 2 names a physical thing that someone buys or gives. Distinguish it from sense 1, which names the enjoyable experience rather than the item.
3. a sweet food that people eat for pleasure outside their regular meals, such as c
a sweet food that people eat for pleasure outside their regular meals, such as cake, chocolate, or ice cream.
The picnic basket is full of chocolate treats and lemon cookies.
chocolate treats (sweet-food sense)
Apinya bakes coconut treats for the school fair every spring.
The twins hide their holiday treats on the top kitchen shelf.
These frozen yogurt treats melt fast in the afternoon sun.
- vegetable
informal contrast when talking about healthy food versus indulgent food
文法句型
sweet treat
a bag of treats
share treats
用法筆記
Usually refers to sweet foods for people and often appears in the plural. Distinguish it from sense 4, which is specifically for food given to pets.
4. a small snack made for an animal, usually given between meals as a reward or dur
a small snack made for an animal, usually given between meals as a reward or during training.
The jar by the door holds salmon treats for the neighbor's cat.
salmon treats for a pet
Training treats keep Lakan's puppy focused during short evening lessons.
The vet says soft treats are easier for older dogs to chew.
Christopher hides rabbit treats inside a cardboard tube for playtime.
- snack
can be used for pets too, but is less specific to reward and training contexts
文法句型
dog treat
cat treat
give [pet] a treat
用法筆記
Used for food meant for animals, not people. Product names often specify the animal before 'treat', especially in pet stores and training advice.
常見錯誤
5. an occasion or set of things that one person pays for so other people can enjoy
an occasion or set of things that one person pays for so other people can enjoy them.
The drinks and fries are my treats after your long shift.
my treats (speaker pays)
Tonight's train tickets are our treats for the visiting cousins.
After the meeting, Vikram said the coffee and cake were his treats.
Those museum passes are Jisoo's treats for the whole family.
- on me
informal expression meaning the speaker will pay
文法句型
[someone's] treat
be [someone's] treat
it's my treat
用法筆記
Usually appears in fixed expressions such as 'my treat' or 'our treat' to show who will pay. Distinguish it from verb sense 3, which focuses on the act of paying rather than the arrangement itself.