teach

¹

[teech]

verb (used with object)

taught, teaching 

1. to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in.

   She teaches mathematics.

   Synonyms: coach

2. to impart knowledge or skill to; give instruction to.

   He teaches a large class.

   Synonyms: coach, indoctrinate, school, drill, discipline, enlighten, inform

verb (used without object)

taught, teaching 

1. to impart knowledge or skill; give instruction.

   Synonyms: coach, indoctrinate, school, drill, discipline, enlighten, inform

noun

1. Informal.,  teacher.

Teach

²

[teech]

noun

1. Edward Blackbeard, died 1718, English pirate and privateer in the Americas.

teach

¹

/ tiːtʃ /

verb

1. to help to learn; tell or show (how)

   to teach someone to paint

   to teach someone how to paint

2. to give instruction or lessons in (a subject) to (a person or animal)

   to teach French

   to teach children

   she teaches

3. (tr; may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to cause to learn or understand

   experience taught him that he could not be a journalist

4. Also: teach someone a lesson. informal,  to cause (someone) to suffer the unpleasant consequences of some action or behaviour

Teach

²

/ tiːtʃ /

noun

1. Edward, known as Blackbeard. died 1718, English pirate, active in the West Indies and on the Atlantic coast of North America

Other Word Forms

• overteach verb
• preteach verb
• reteach verb
• underteach verb
• teachable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of teach¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English techen, Old English tǣcan; akin to token

Word History and Origins

Origin of teach¹

Old English tǣcan; related to tācen _token , Old Frisian tēken, Old Saxon tēkan, Old High German zeihhan, Old Norse teikn sign

Synonym Study

Teach, instruct, tutor, train, educate share the meaning of imparting information, understanding, or skill. Teach is the broadest and most general of these terms and can refer to almost any practice that causes others to develop skill or knowledge: to teach children to write; to teach marksmanship to soldiers; to teach tricks to a dog. Instruct almost always implies a systematic, structured method of teaching: to instruct paramedics in techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Tutor refers to the giving of usually private instruction or coaching in a particular subject or skill: to tutor a child in ( a foreign language, algebra, history, or the like ). Train lays stress on the development of desired behaviors through practice, discipline, or the use of rewards or punishments: to train a child to be polite; to train recruits in military skills; to train a dog to heel. Educate, with a root sense of “to lead forth from,” refers to the imparting of a specific body of knowledge, especially one that equips a person to practice a profession: to educate a person for a high school diploma; to educate someone for the law.

Example Sentences

For over two decades, Burton taught literacy skills and helped instill a love for reading in children across the country.

From Los Angeles Times

I'm here to teach and educate and I'm prepared to focus on the students that I will be meeting there.

From BBC

Mr Fuller had recently written about his passion for teaching others how to skydive.

From BBC

Today, Dodgen-Magee is a psychologist and teaches continuing education units for other practitioners.

From Salon

A review of the school curriculum - what is taught in schools in Northern Ireland - was recently completed.

From BBC

Related Words

• advise 
• coach 
• demonstrate 
• develop 
• direct 
• explain 
• instruct 
• lecture 
• prepare 
• show 
• train 
• tutor