preach
- preach
- verb
1 (I, T) to give a talk in public about a religious subject, especially about the correct moral way for people to behave
(+ to/on/about): Christ began preaching to large crowds. | preach sth: The pastor preached a sermon on brotherly love.
2 (T) to talk about how good or important something is and try to persuade other people about this: preach the virtues of: Imran's always preaching the virtues of a healthy outdoor life.
3 (I) to give someone advice in a way that they think is boring or annoying: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to preach.
4 preach to the converted to talk about what you think is right or important to people who already have the same opinions as you
—see also: practise what you preach practise (5)
Longman dictionary of contemporary English.
2004.
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Look at other dictionaries:
preach — preach·able; preach·er; preach·er·less; preach·er·ly; preach·er·ship; preach·ifi·ca·tion; preach·ify; preach·i·ly; preach·i·ness; preach·ment; un·preach; preach; preach·ing·ly; … English syllables
preach — [ pritʃ ] verb * 1. ) intransitive or transitive to talk about a religious subject at a religious meeting, especially in church: preach a sermon: The Reverend Hugh McKeag preached the sermon. preach to: That afternoon he preached to three… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Preach — Preach, v. t. 1. To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue. [1913 Webster] That Cristes gospel truly wolde preche. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
preach — [pri:tʃ] v [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: prechier, from Late Latin praedicare, from Latin dicare to say publicly ] 1.) [I and T] to talk about a religious subject in a public place, especially in a church during a service preach to ▪… … Dictionary of contemporary English
preach´i|ly — preach|y «PREE chee», adjective, preach|i|er, preach|i|est. Informal. 1. inclined to preach: »Of the 1,400 odd books…many, of course, are teachy, preachy pills of moralism (Newsweek) … Useful english dictionary
preach|y — «PREE chee», adjective, preach|i|er, preach|i|est. Informal. 1. inclined to preach: »Of the 1,400 odd books…many, of course, are teachy, preachy pills of moralism (Newsweek) … Useful english dictionary
Preach — Preach, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Preached}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Preaching}.] [OE. prechen, OF. preechier, F. pr[^e]cher, fr. L. praedicare to cry in public, to proclaim; prae before + dicare to make known, dicere to say; or perhaps from (assumed) LL.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Preach — Preach, n. [Cf. F. pr[^e]che, fr. pr[^e]cher. See {Preach}, v.] A religious discourse. [Obs.] Hooker. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
preach — (v.) late O.E. predician, a loan word from Church Latin, reborrowed 12c. as preachen, from O.Fr. prechier (11c.), from L.L. predicare to proclaim publicly, announce (in Medieval Latin to preach ), from L. prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + dicare … Etymology dictionary
preach — [v1] speak publicly about beliefs address, deliver, deliver sermon, evangelize, exhort, give sermon, homilize, inform, minister, mission, missionary, orate, prophesy, pulpiteer, sermonize, talk, teach; concepts 51,285,367 preach [v2] lecture,… … New thesaurus
preach — ► VERB 1) deliver a religious address to an assembled group of people. 2) earnestly advocate (a principle). 3) (preach at) give moral advice to (someone) in a self righteous way. DERIVATIVES preacher noun. ORIGIN Old French prechier, from Latin… … English terms dictionary
