1848. Thackeray, Book of Snobs, xxxv. We don't have meat every day . . . and it is a treat to me to get a dinner like this.
1855. Haliburton, Human Nature [Bartlett]. I was never sold before, I vow; I cave in, and will stand treat.
1885. Weekly Echo, 5 Sep. She and the girl were attending with donkeys at the annual treat at a Convalescent Home for children.
1897. Marshall, Pomes, 39. He put down a sovereign to treat us, And I collared the change by mistake.
3. (common).—In sarcasm: a nuisance, a terror (q.v.), anybody or anything objectionable.
Treating, subs. (political).—Bribery.
[A candidate who corruptly
gives, causes to be given,
or is accessory to giving, or pays,
wholly or in part, expenses for
meat, drink, entertainment, or
provision for any person, before,
during, or after an election, in
order to be elected, or for being
elected, or for corruptly influencing
any person to give or refrain
from giving his vote, is guilty of
treating, and forfeits £50 to any
informer, with costs. Every voter
who corruptly accepts meat, drink,
or entertainment, shall be incapable
of voting at such election,
and his vote shall be void (Abstract
of Act of Parliament).]
Treating-house, subs. phr. (old).—A
restaurant.
c. 1704. Gentleman Instructed, 287. The taverns and treating-houses have eas'd you of a round income. Ibid., 479. His first jaunt is to a treating-house; here he trespasses upon all the rules of temperance and sobriety.
Treble X's (The), subs. phr.
(military).—The 30th Foot, now
the 1st battalion East Lancashire
Regiment. Also Triple X's.
Treddle. See Tread.
Tree, subs. (old).—A gallows: also
substantial tree, fatal
tree, 'tree that bears fruit all
the year round,' the tree with
three corners, etc.; spec. (Biblical
and colloquial) = the Cross. See
Triple-tree and Tyburn-tree.
1611. Bible, Acts x. 39. Whom they slew and hanged on a tree.
c. 1690. Brown, Works, i. 70. Tho' 'twas thy Luck to cheat the fatal Tree.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 217. Tell us rather to wait for you under a more substantial tree.
d. 1892. Whittier, Works [Century]. But give to me your daughter dear, And, by the Holy Tree, Be she on sea or on the land, I'll bring her back to thee.
Verb.—To perplex, get at one's mercy, put in a fix, drive to the end of one's resources. Whence, treed (or up a tree) = cornered, obliged to surrender, done for (q.v.).
1847-8. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xxxiv. The dreadful predicament in which he found himself, in a house full of old women . . . 'Regularly up a tree.'
1859. Kingsley, Geof. Hamlyn, v. You are treed, and can't help yourself.
Phrases.—At the top of the tree (see Top); to tree oneself (American) = to conceal oneself, hide; lame as a tree = very lame; to bark up the wrong tree (see Bark); 'Put not the hand between the bark and the tree' = 'Meddle not in family matters': also between bark and tree (or wood) = a well-adjusted bargain.
1562. Heywood, Proverbs and Epigrams, 67. It were a foly for mee, To put my hande betweene the barke and tree . . . Betweene you.
