6 N‑VAR The tread of a tyre or shoe is the pattern of thin lines cut into its surface that stops it slipping. □ The fat, broad tyres had a good depth of tread.
7 PHRASE If someone is treading a fine line or path , they are acting carefully because they have to avoid making a serious mistake, especially in a situation where they have to deal with two opposing demands. □ [+ between ] They have to tread the delicate path between informing children and boring them.
8 PHRASE If you tread a particular path , you take a particular course of action or do something in a particular way. □ He continues to tread an unconventional path.
9 PHRASE If someone who is in deep water treads water , they float in an upright position by moving their legs slightly.
10 PHRASE If you say that someone is treading water , you mean that they are in an unsatisfactory situation where they are not progressing, but are just continuing doing the same things. □ I could either tread water until I was promoted, or I could change what I was doing.
11 to tread on someone's toes → see toe
trea|dle /tre d ə l/ (treadles ) N‑COUNT The treadle on a spinning wheel or sewing machine is a lever that you operate with your foot in order to turn a wheel in the machine.
tread|mill /tre dm I l/ (treadmills )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to a task or a job as a treadmill when you have to keep doing it although it is unpleasant and exhausting. □ Mr Stocks can expect a gruelling week on the publicity treadmill.
2 N‑COUNT A treadmill is a piece of equipment, for example an exercise machine, consisting of a wheel with steps around its edge or a continuous moving belt. The weight of a person or animal walking on it causes the wheel or belt to turn.
trea|son /triː z ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Treason is the crime of betraying your country, for example by helping its enemies or by trying to remove its government using violence.
trea|son|able /triː zənəb ə l/ ADJ Treasonable activities are criminal activities which someone carries out with the intention of helping their country's enemies or removing its government using violence. □ They were brought to trial for treasonable conspiracy.
treas|ure /tre ʒə r / (treasures , treasuring , treasured )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Treasure is a collection of valuable old objects such as gold coins and jewels that has been hidden or lost. [LITERARY ] □ It was here, the buried treasure, she knew it was.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Treasures are valuable objects, especially works of art and items of historical value. □ The house was large and full of art treasures.
3 VERB If you treasure something that you have, you keep it or care for it carefully because it gives you great pleasure and you think it is very special. □ [V n] She treasures her memories of those joyous days. ● N‑COUNT Treasure is also a noun. □ His greatest treasure is his collection of rock records. ● treas|ured ADJ [ADJ n] □ These books are still among my most treasured possessions.
4 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a treasure , you mean that they are very helpful and useful to you. [INFORMAL ] □ Charlie? Oh, he's a treasure, loves children.
trea s|ure chest (treasure chests )
1 N‑COUNT A treasure chest is a box containing treasure.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe something as a treasure chest of a particular thing, you mean that it is very good source of that thing. □ [+ of ] This book is a treasure chest of information.
treas|ur|er /tre ʒərə r / (treasurers ) N‑COUNT The treasurer of a society or organization is the person who is in charge of its finances and keeps its accounts.
trea s|ure trove (treasure troves )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe something or someone as a treasure trove of a particular thing, you mean that they are a very good or rich source of that thing. □ [+ of ] The dictionary is a vast treasure trove of information.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to a collection of valuable objects as a treasure trove .
treas|ury ◆◇◇ /tre ʒəri/ (treasuries ) N‑COUNT [with sing or pl verb] In Britain, the United States, and some other countries, the Treasury is the government department that deals with the country's finances.
treat ◆◆◇ /triː t/ (treats , treating , treated )
1 VERB If you treat someone or something in a particular way, you behave towards them or deal with them in that way. □ [V n + with ] Artie treated most women with indifference. □ [V n + as ] Police say they're treating it as a case of attempted murder. □ [V n adv] He felt the press had never treated him fairly. [Also V n like ]
2 VERB When a doctor or nurse treats a patient or an illness, he or she tries to make the patient well again. □ [V n + with ] Doctors treated her with aspirin. □ [V n + for ] The boy was treated for a minor head wound. □ [V n] An experienced nurse treats all minor injuries.
3 VERB If something is treated with a particular substance, the substance is put onto or into it in order to clean it, to protect it, or to give it special properties. □ [be V -ed + with ] About 70% of the cocoa acreage is treated with insecticide. □ [V n] It was many years before the city began to treat its sewage.
4 VERB If you treat someone to something special which they will enjoy, you buy it or arrange it for them. □ [V n + to ] She was always treating him to ice cream. □ [V pron-refl + to ] Tomorrow I'll treat myself to a day's gardening. □ [V pron-refl] If you want to treat yourself, the Malta Hilton offers high international standards. [Also V n]