preach

American  

[preech] / pritʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to proclaim or make known by sermon (the gospel, good tidings, etc.).

2. to deliver (a sermon).

3. to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing.

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verb (used without object)

1. to deliver a sermon.

2. to give earnest advice, as on religious or moral subjects or the like.

   Synonyms:

   expound , pronounce , profess , advocate

3. to give earnest advice in an obtrusive or tedious way.

idioms

1. preach to the choir.  preach to the choir.

preach British  

/ priːtʃ /

verb

1. to make known (religious truth) or give religious or moral instruction or exhortation in (sermons)

2. to advocate (a virtue, action, etc), esp in a moralizing way

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preach More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing preach

• practice what you preach

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Other Word Forms

• outpreach verb (used with object)
• preachable adjective
• unpreached adjective

Etymology

Origin of preach

1175–1225; Middle English prechen < Old French pre ( ë ) chier < Late Latin praedicāre to preach ( Latin: to assert publicly, proclaim). See predicate

Example Sentences

All week Gonzalez said the coaches were preaching the lesson learned from last season.

From Los Angeles Times

Their singing, praying and preaching moved seamlessly among three languages: Fijian, Hindi and English.

From The Wall Street Journal

"All that the newspapers and television programmes were full of was where the Duke's horses were running, where David Sheppard was preaching and what Mrs Dexter was wearing," bemoaned Trueman.

From BBC

"There is no point professors preaching from on high. We need farmers themselves to show others that this does not necessarily mean a drop in income."

From Barron's

Large employers have been making deep cuts to white-collar jobs, with many executives preaching a leaner approach to their businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• exhort
• teach