ill-treat

verb

ˈil-ˈtrēt

ill-treated; ill-treating; ill-treats

: to treat cruelly or improperly : maltreat

ill-treatment

ˈil-ˈtrēt-mənt

noun

anyone who ill-treats their pets should not be allowed to have any

First Known Use

1689, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of ill-treat was in 1689

See more words from the same year

Style

“Ill-treat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill-treat. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

ill-treat

verb

ˈil-ˈtrēt

: to treat in a cruel or improper way : maltreat

punished for ill-treating the neighbor's cat

ill-treatment

-mənt

noun

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