treat (redirected from works a treat)

a Dutch treat

an occasion when two or more people agree to share the cost of something, especially a meal. She and Callahan often met for lunch. It was always a Dutch treat.

See also: Dutch

go down a treat (British & Australian)

if something goes down a treat, people enjoy it very much. His animal impressions went down a treat with the children. A cup of tea would go down a treat.

See also: down

handle/treat someone with kid gloves

to be very polite or kind to someone who is important or easily upset because you do not want to make them angry or upset. Linda can be a very difficult woman - you've really got to handle her with kid gloves.

See also: glove, handle, kid

treat someone like dirt

to behave badly towards someone in a way that shows that you do not respect them. I don't know why she stays with him. He treats her like dirt.

See also: dirt, like

treat someone like muck (informal)

to treat someone without respect or kindness. Mick treats his girlfriend like muck, but she's crazy about him.

See also: like, muck

work a treat (British & Australian, informal)

to be very effective. If you want to get rid of that wine stain, put some salt on it, it works a treat.

See also: work

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treat someone like dirt

to deal with someone in a manner that shows no respect for them. If you treat your customers like dirt, they won't come back to your shop.

See also: dirt, like

treat someone with kid gloves

to deal with someone very gently or carefully. While he treated writers with kid gloves, he was unpleasant to everyone else.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of kid gloves (= gloves made of very soft, smooth leather)

See also: glove, kid