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entreat

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 23 October 2025

Etymology

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The verb is derived from Late Middle English entreten (“to deal with (someone) in a specified way; to concern oneself with (something); to deal with or give an account of (a topic); to engage in negotiation; to intercede for (someone); to plead with (someone)”),[1] from Anglo-Norman entraiter, entretier (“to concern oneself with (something); to deal with (someone) in a specified manner; to have a conversation with (someone); to negotiate (with someone, or about something)”), Middle French entraiter, entraictier, and Old French entraictier (“to have a conversation with (someone); to concern oneself with (something)”), from en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + traiter (“to be concerned with (something); to treat (someone) in a specified way”)[2] (from Latin tractāre, the present active infinitive of tractō (“to handle, manage; to drag, haul”), from trahō (“to drag, pull; etc.”) (see that entry for the further etymology) + -tō (frequentative suffix)).

The noun is derived from Late Middle English entrete (“agreement; negotiation; treatment of a subject in discourse”),[3] from the verb.[4]

Pronunciation

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Verb

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entreat (third-person singular simple present entreats, present participle entreating, simple past and past participle entreated)

  1. Senses relating to asking or pleading.
    2. (transitive) To ask earnestly or beg for (something, such as a benefit or favour).
      Synonym: supplicate
    3. (transitive) To earnestly ask or beg (someone); to beseech, to implore.
    4. (transitive, obsolete) To try to influence or persuade (someone); to induce, to prevail upon.
      • 1569, Richard Grafton, “Edwarde the Fift”, in A Chronicle at Large and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande […], volume II, London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye, →OCLC, page 768:
        [S]he could in no wiſe be intreated with her good vyll to delyuer him, […]
      • c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i, signature A5, recto:
        This ſhould intreat your highneſſe to reioice, / Since Fortune giues you opportunity, / To gaine the tytle of a Conquerour, […]
      • 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 35, page 215:
        No ſolace could her Paramour intreat / Her once to ſhovv, ne court, ne dalliaunce, / But vvith bent lovvring brovves, as ſhe vvould threat, / She ſcould, and frovvnd vvith frovvard countenaunce, / Vnvvorthy of faire Ladies comely gouernaunce.
      • 1592, Tho[mas] Nashe, “The Arrainment and Execution of the Third Letter”, in Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters and a Convoy of Verses, […], London: […] Iohn Danter, […], →OCLC, signature L2, recto:
        VVith a hundred bleſsings and many praiers thou intreatſt mee to loue thee.
      • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, signature Biij, recto, lines [97–100]:
        I haue beene vvooed as I intreat thee novv, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull god of vvarre, / VVhoſe ſinovvie necke in battel nere did bovv, / VVho conquers vvhere he comes in euerie iarre, […]
      • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Epilogue”, in The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, signature L, verso:
        If my tongue cannot intreate you to acquit mee, vvill you commaund me to vſe my legges?
      • 1656, T[homas] B[lount], “Indeprecable”, in Glossographia: […], London: […] T[homas] Newcomb, and are to be sold by Humphrey Moseley, […], and George Sawbridge […], →OCLC, signature X3, verso, column 1:
        Indeprecable […] that vvill not be intreated, or moved to yeeld.
      • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 194:
        Then I asked him, VVhat I muſt do vvhen I came? and he told me, I muſt intreat upon my knees vvith all my heart and ſoul, the Father to reveal him to me.
      • 1762, John Rogers, “Sermon V. The Nature and Influence of the Fear of God”, in [W. William Rose, compiler], The Practical Preacher: Consisting of Select Discourses from the Works of the Most Eminent Protestant Writers: […], volume I, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […], →OCLC, page 73:
        [I]f this terror [the fear of God] vvere merely that ſervile dread vvhich repreſents God as an implacable, inexorable being, the ſoul under ſuch an impreſſion vvould ſit dovvn unactive, overvvhelmed vvith an horrible deſpair; and never engage in a fruitleſs attempt to appeaſe a povver, vvhom no prayers could intreat, no repentance reconcile.
      • 1768, Inatulla [i.e., Shaikh Inayat Allah Kamboh], “The Baar Danesh; or, Garden of Knowledge. Chapter II.”, in [Alexander Dow], transl., Tales, Translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi. […], volume I, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt, […], →OCLC, page 21:
        The curioſity of the lady vvas highly inflamed, to knovv the hiſtory of the parrot's tranſmigration, vvhich ſhe intreated the bird vvith all her eloquence to relate; but he preſented a deaf ear to her importunity, and, like a painted nightingale, remained ſilent.
      • 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter II, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume III, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 34:
        I may be absent a month or two; but do not interfere with my motions, I entreat you: leave me to peace and solitude for a short time; and when I return, I hope it will be with a lighter heart, more congenial to your own temper.
      • 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter III, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 82:
        Mrs. Fairfax is with her just now, entreating her to be gone; but she has taken a chair in the chimney-corner, and says nothing shall stir her from it till she gets leave to come in here.
    5. (intransitive) Often followed by for: to ask earnestly or to beg for a benefit, favour, etc.; to appeal, to plead.
    6. (intransitive, archaic) To make a petition or request on behalf of someone; to intercede, to plead.
  2. (obsolete) Senses relating to dealing with or negotiating.
    1. (transitive) To act towards or deal with (someone or something) in a specified manner; to handle, to treat.
    2. (transitive) To discuss or negotiate (something); also, to discuss or negotiate with (someone).
    3. (transitive, reflexive) To occupy oneself with (something).
    4. (intransitive) Sometimes followed by of or upon: to give an account or description of a matter; to deal with.
      • 1610, Gervase Markham, “Of Outward Sorrances what They are, and of Certaine Generall Obseruations in the Cure of Them”, in Markhams Maister-peece. Or, What doth a Horse-man Lacke. Containing All Possible Knowledge whatsoeuer which doth Belong to any Smith, Farrier, or Horse-leech, Touching the Curing of All Manner of Diseases or Sorrances in Horses; […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson, […], →OCLC, 2nd book (Containing All Cures Chyrurgicall, […]), page 228:
        [O]f all theſe ſeuerally I intend to intreate in the folovving chapters.
      • 1627, G[eorge] H[akewill], “Touching the Pretended Decay of the Heauenly Bodies”, in An Apologie of the Power and Prouidence of God in the Gouernment of the World. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Iohn Lichfield and William Turner, […], →OCLC, book II, section 1 (First of Their Working vpon this Inferiour World), page 66:
        [T]he moſt admirable myſtery of Nature, in my mind, is the turning of yron touched vvith the loadſtone, tovvard the North-pole, of vvhich I ſhall have farther occaſion to intreate, […]
      • 1791, “The Second Chapter”, in [anonymous], transl., Dr. Martin Luther’s Commentary upon St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians: […], Wigan, Manchester: […] William Bancks, →OCLC, page 57:
        [Y]ou ſhould diigently vveigh and conſider the matter vvhereof Paul intreateth: for he intreateth of the vvord of God, vvhich can never be maginified enough.
    5. (intransitive) Often followed by about, for, or of: to discuss or negotiate, especially in order to reach a settlement.

Conjugation

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Conjugation of entreat
infinitive (to) entreat
present tense past tense
1st-person singular entreat entreated
2nd-person singular entreat, entreatest† entreated, entreatedst†
3rd-person singular entreats, entreateth† entreated
plural entreat
subjunctive entreat entreated
imperative entreat —
participles entreating entreated

† Archaic or obsolete.

Alternative forms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Noun

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entreat (plural entreats)

  1. (obsolete) Synonym of entreaty (“an act of asking earnestly or begging for something”); an appeal, a plea.
    • 1661, S[amuel] P[ordage], [John Pordage?], “The Second Part”, in Mundorum Explicatio: Or, The Explanation of an Hieroglyphical Figure: Wherein are Couched the Myasteries of the External, Internal, and Eternal Worlds, […], London: […] T. R. for Lodowick Lloyd, […], page 149:
      Let my entreats of Love prevail ſo far, / VVhen for your happineſſe they ſpoken are: / Be not a Captive to the vvorld, but be / One unto Heav'n, and that is to be free.
    • 1817 March, Censor [pseudonym], “The Gossiper, No. XXV”, in The Ladies’ Monthly Museum, volume V, London: [Vernor & Hood?], →OCLC, page 124:
      […] I began a little chat with my fair companion, who remained standing, notwithstanding my repeated entreates that she would be seated.
    • 2006, Khaled Abou El Fadl, The Search for Beauty in Islam: A Conference of the Books, Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, →ISBN, page 236:
      In the Muslim world, the most compelling and decisive books are those full of confessions written on the flesh of victims, and the most earnest prayers are the entreats for mercy screamed in pain and anguish at the tormentors and flesh and thought.
      Probably a nonstandard use by a non-native English speaker.

References

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  1. ^ “entrēten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ^ “entreat, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “entreat, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  3. ^ “entrētē, -ty, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  4. ^ “entreat, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, July 2023.

Anagrams

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