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Action vs Treat - What's the difference?

action | treat |

As nouns the difference between action and treat

is that action is something done so as to accomplish a purpose while treat is an entertainment, outing, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others.

As verbs the difference between action and treat

is that action is to act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect while treat is to negotiate, discuss terms, bargain (for or with).

As an interjection action

is demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance.

action

English

(wikipedia action)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Something done so as to accomplish a purpose.
  • A way of motion or functioning.
  • Knead bread with a rocking action .
  • A fast-paced activity.
  • an action movie
  • A mechanism; a moving part or assembly.
  • a rifle action
  • (music): The mechanism, that is the set of moving mechanical parts, of a keyboard instrument, like a piano, which transfers the motion of the key to the sound-making device.Marshall Cavendish Corporation Growing Up with Science p.1079
  • (slang) sexual intercourse.
  • She gave him some action .
  • The distance separating the strings and the fretboard on the guitar.
  • (military) Combat.
  • He saw some action in the Korean War.
  • (legal) A charge or other process in a law court (also called lawsuit and actio ).
  • (mathematics) A mapping from a pairing of mathematical objects to one of them, respecting their individual structures. The pairing is typically a Cartesian product or a tensor product. The object that is not part of the output is said to act'' on the other object. In any given context, ''action'' is used as an abbreviation for a more fully named notion, like group action or ''left group action.
  • The event or connected series of events, either real or imaginary, forming the subject of a play, poem, or other composition; the unfolding of the drama of events.
  • (art, painting and sculpture) The attitude or position of the several parts of the body as expressive of the sentiment or passion depicted.
  • (bowling) spin put on the bowling ball.
  • (business, obsolete, a Gallicism) A share in the capital stock of a joint-stock company, or in the public funds.
  • * Burke
  • The Euripus of funds and actions .

    Derived terms

    * actioner * action hero * action item * action man * action movie * action star * actions speak louder than words * direct action * ! * lost in action * missing in action * piece of the action * social action * take action

    See also

    * deed *

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • Demanding or signifying the start of something, usually an act or scene of a theatric performance.
  • The director yelled ‘Action !’ before the camera started rolling.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (management) To act on a request etc, in order to put it into effect.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2004
  • , publisher=Pearson Education , author=Ros Jay, Richard Templar , title=Fast Thinking Manager's Manual , edition=Second edition , chapter=Fast thinking: project , section=Fast Thinking Leader citation , isbn=9780273681052 , page=276 , passage=‘Here, give me the minutes of Monday’s meeting. I’ll action your points for you while you get on and sort out the open day.’}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=2005
  • , publisher=Routledge , author=Fritz Liebreich , title=Britain's Navel and Political Reaction to the Illegal Immigration of Jews to Palestine, 1945-1948 , chapter=The physical confrontation: interception and diversion policies in theory and practice citation , isbn=9780714656373 , page=196 , passage=Violent reactions from the Jewish authorities were expected and difficulties of actioning the new guidelines were foreseen.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=2007
  • , publisher=The Stationery Office , editor= , author=Great Britain: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman , title=Tax Credits: Getting it wrong? 5th report session 2006-2007 , chapter=Case study: 11257 , section=Chapter 2: Changes and developments since June 2005 citation , isbn=9780102951172 , page=26 , passage=HMRC said that one reason they had not actioned her appeal was because she had said in her appeal form ‘I am appealing against the overpayment for childcare for 2003-04, 2004-05’, thus implying she was disputing her ‘overpayment’.}}
  • (transitive, chiefly, archaic) To initiate a legal action against someone.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1856
  • , publisher=Stringer & Townsend , author=Thomas Chandler Haliburton , title=The Attaché: or Sam Slick in England , section=Chapter XLVII: The Horse Stealer; or All Trades Have Tricks But Our Own , edition=New Revised Edition citation , page=270 , passage=‘I have no business to settle with you—arrest me, Sir, at your peril and I’ll action you in law for false imprisonment.’}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1844
  • , year_published= , publisher=T. C. Newby , author=Robert Mackenzie Daniel , title=The Grave Digger: A novel by the author of The Scottish Heiress , volume=I , section=Chapter IX: How the Grave-differ entertained a lady citation , pages=189-190 , passage=“Scrip threatened me at first with an action for slander—he spoke of actions to the wrong man though—action! no, no no. I should have actioned him—ha! ha! [...]”}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1871
  • , year_published=2002 , publisher=Oxford University Press US , author=Michael Shermer , quotee=(Alfred Russell Wallace) , title=In Darwin’s shadow: The Life and Science of Alfred Russell Wallace , section=Chapter 10. Heretic Personality citation , isbn=9780195148305 , page=261 , passage=I have actioned him for Libel, but he won’t plead, and says he will make himself bankrupt & won’t pay a penny.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1996
  • , publisher=Boydell & Brewer , author=Darryl Mark Ogier , title=Reformation and Society in Guernsey , chapter=Discipline: Enforcement , section=Part Two: The Calvinist Regime citation , isbn=9780851156033 , page=148 , passage=In 1589 the Court went so far as to effect a reconciliation between Michel le Petevin and his wife after she actioned him for ill treatment and adultery with their chambermaid.}}

    Usage notes

    * The verb sense (term) is rejected by some usage authorities., page 3

    References

    * OED 2nd edition 1989 * Notes:

    treat

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To negotiate, discuss terms, bargain (for'' or ''with ).
  • * 1955 , , The Return of the King , George Allen & Unwin:
  • Now halting a few paces before the Captains of the West he looked them up and down and laughed. 'Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?' he asked.
  • * 1985 , (Lawrence Durrell), Quinx'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 1365:
  • After all, in this hideous war we have just passed through never forget that Halifax would have treated with Hitler: it took Churchill to refuse.
  • * 2010 , David Mitchell, The Observer , 6 Jun 2010:
  • I wouldn't promote businesses I considered immoral – ambulance-chasing lawyers or online roulette for example – but I've got nothing against computer or software manufacture: they're important and any reputable company in that industry is welcome to treat for my services.
  • To discourse; to handle a subject in writing or speaking; to conduct a discussion.
  • Cicero's writing treats mainly of old age and personal duty.
  • * Milton
  • Now of love they treat .
  • To discourse on; to represent or deal with in a particular way, in writing or speaking.
  • The article treated feminism as a quintessentially modern movement.
  • (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To entreat or beseech (someone).
  • Only let my family live, I treat thee.
  • To handle, deal with or behave towards in a specific way.
  • You treated me like a fool.
    She was tempted to treat the whole affair as a joke.
  • To entertain with food or drink, especially at one's own expense; to show hospitality to; to pay for as celebration or reward.
  • I treated my son to some popcorn in the interval.
    I've done so well this month, I'll treat''' you all to dinner (or 'Dinner is my '''treat .)
    My husband treated me to a Paris holiday for our anniversary.
  • To care for medicinally or surgically; to apply medical care to.
  • They treated me for malaria.
  • To subject to a chemical or other action; to act upon with a specific scientific result in mind.
  • He treated the substance with sulphuric acid.
    I treated the photo somewhat to make the colours more pronounced.
  • * 2012 , Chelsea 6-0 Wolves [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19632463]
  • The Chelsea captain was a virtual spectator as he was treated to his side's biggest win for almost two years as Stamford Bridge serenaded him with chants of "there's only one England captain," some 48 hours after he announced his retirement from international football.

    Usage notes

    In the dialects found in Yorkshire and North East England, the past tense form treat (but pronounced tret ) is sometimes encountered.

    Synonyms

    * (to deal with in a very specific way)

    Derived terms

    * no way to treat a lady * treatable * treatment

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An entertainment, outing, or other indulgence provided by someone for the enjoyment of others.
  • I took the kids to the zoo for a treat .
  • An unexpected gift, event etc., which provides great pleasure.
  • It was such a treat to see her back in action on the London stage.
  • (obsolete) A parley or discussion of terms; a negotiation.
  • (obsolete) An entreaty.
  • Anagrams

    * * *