What does entreat mean?
Word: Entreat
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Entreat means to ask someone very seriously and with strong feeling to do something.
Synonyms: beg, plead with
How do you spell entreat?
Syllables: en - treat
Tricky part: The second syllable is the trap. Its long vowel sounds like the one in tree, so many pupils write ee where the letters are ea.
Watch out for: entreet, entreit
Memory tip: Plead and entreat mean much the same, and they share the same vowel pair. Learn them as a couple.
Entreat in a sentence
Example 1: The little ones entreated their teacher to read one more chapter.
Example 2: She wrote to the council to entreat them to save the old banyan tree.
Example 3: Farmers in the village entreated the officer to repair the canal before the sowing season.
Fun Fact
It once meant simply to deal with someone, and that older sense can still be found in Shakespeare. The asking sense took over later.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
One letter in this word is not needed. Find it:
enttreat
a) a
b) n
c) t
d) r
Show answer
c) t. The n runs straight into one t, never a pair.
Mingle-Mangle
Rearrange the jumbled letters in the sentence to form the right word:
The students plan to artenet the principal to keep the library open longer.
a) entreat
b) enable
c) enlist
d) entice
Show answer
a) entreat. An r and an a are needed, and no other option has both.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word entreat as used in the sentence:
The villagers came to entreat the minister to open a school in their valley.
a) warn
b) thank
c) implore
d) blame
Show answer
c) implore. They are pleading for something they badly want, so one option fits that feeling.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. pursuade 2. petition 3. beseech 4. entreat
a) to make a formal written request
b) to ask humbly for help or kindness
c) to get someone to agree by giving good reasons
d) to make a heartfelt request to someone
Show answer
c) to get someone to agree by giving good reasons. The misspelt word begins with per, not pur: persuade.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who in these scenes is entreating someone?
a) a girl asking, close to tears, for one more chance
b) a coach reading out the team list at practice
c) a guard telling visitors the way to the gate
d) a waiter noting down the order at a table
Show answer
a) a girl asking, close to tears, for one more chance
2. Leela entreated her parents to let her join the trek. How did she sound?
a) calm and businesslike
b) bored and half asleep
c) anxious and very sincere
d) cheerful and joking
Show answer
c) anxious and very sincere
