treater
(ˈtriːtə(r))
Forms: 5 Sc. treyter, 6 Sc. tretar, 7, 9 treator, 6– treater.
[In sense 1, a. OF. traiteor, traiteur ambassador (1275 in Godef.); in other senses, f. treat v. + -er1.]
One who treats, in any sense of the verb.
1. One who negotiates terms of settlement; a negotiator.
| 1489 Barbour's Bruce x. 125 Schir alexander of Argill..send tretis [Edinb. MS. treyteris] to þe king, And com his man but tarying. 1550 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 91 Subscrivit be the commissaris, tretaris of the pece betuix France and Ingland. 1644 Pr. Rupert's Jrnl. 20 Nov. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1898) XIII. 738 Treaters came with 27 propositions. a 1656 Ussher Ann. vi. (1658) 368 And he instead of a treator, played the traitor with them. 1859 W. Chadwick Life De Foe vi. 324 A misunderstanding among the treaters or negotiators. 1885 H. C. McCook Tenants Old Farm ii. (1888) 13 A pedigree ante-dating William Penn,..his treaties and his aboriginal treators. |
2. One who treats of or writes upon a subject.
| 1594 Blundevil Exerc. (1636) A iij b, Modern Writers, and Treaters of that Art. 1892 A. C. Deane Frivolous Verses, Eng. Lit. Tripos v, Here we possess highly-competent treaters, Ready to deal with all authors of note. |
3. One who gives a treat, or stands treat; an entertainer, feaster.
| 1692 E. Walker tr. Epictetus' Mor. lvii, You may, 'tis true, your Appetite appease, But not your Company, nor Treater please. 1884 [see treatee]. 1906 Daily Chron. 19 June 6/3 Any hospitality which is likely to secure to the treater the goodwill of the treated, which has reference to some election,..is ‘corrupt treating’. |