Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense preaches, present participle preaching, past tense, past participle preached
1. verb
When a member of the clergy preaches a sermon, he or she gives a talk on a religious or moral subject during a religious service.
At High Mass the priest preached a sermon on the devil. [VERB noun]
The bishop preached to a crowd of several hundred local people. [VERB + to]
He denounced the decision to invite his fellow archbishop to preach. [VERB]
[Also V + against/on]
Synonyms: deliver a sermon, address, exhort, evangelize More Synonyms of preach
2. verb
When people preach a belief or a course of action, they try to persuade other people to accept the belief or to take the course of action.
He tried to preach peace and tolerance to his people. [VERB noun]
Health experts are now preaching that even a little exercise is far better than noneat all. [VERB that]
For many years I have preached against war. [V + against/about]
3. verb
If someone gives you advice in a very serious, boring way, you can say that they are preaching at you.
[disapproval]
'Don't preach at me,' he shouted. [VERB + at]
4.
See to practise what you preach
5.
See to preach to the converted
More Synonyms of preach
preach in British English
(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
Derived forms
preachable (ˈpreachable)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French prechier, from Church Latin praedicāre, from Latin: to proclaim in public; see predicate
preach in American English
(pritʃ)
verb intransitive
1.
to speak in public on religious matters; give a sermon
2.
to give moral or religious advice, esp. in a tiresome manner
verb transitive
3.
to expound or proclaim by preaching
4.
to advocate by or as by preaching; urge strongly or persistently
5.
to deliver (a sermon)
Word origin
ME prechen < OFr precher < LL(Ec) praedicare, to preach the gospel < L, to declare in public, admonish < prae-, pre- + dicare, to proclaim, akin to dicere, to say: see diction
More idioms containing
preach
preach to the converted
practise what you preach
Examples of 'preach' in a sentence
preach
There are too many people preaching about how you should do it.
The Sun (2016)
Now he is preaching in the desert.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We need to think this way about formative preaching as well.
Christianity Today (2000)
From its famous open pulpit in the old hospital churchyard many an inflammatory sermon had been preached.
Benjamin Woolley THE HERBALIST: Nicholas Culpeper Rebel Physician (2004)
In other languages
preach
British English: preach VERB
When a member of the clergy preaches a sermon, he or she gives a talk on a religious or moral subject during a religious service.
At High Mass the priest preached a sermon on the devil.
American English: preach
Brazilian Portuguese: pregar
Chinese: 传道
European Spanish: predicar
French: prêcher
German: predigen
Italian: predicare
Japanese: 説教する
Korean: 설교하다
European Portuguese: pregar
Latin American Spanish: predicar
All related terms of 'preach'
preach a message
The message that someone is trying to communicate , for example in a book or play, is the idea or point that they are trying to communicate.
preach to the choir
to express an opinion to someone who is already in agreement with it
practise what you preach
to behave in the way that you encourage other people to behave
preach to the converted
to present an opinion or argument to people who already agree with it
to preach to the choir
If you say that someone is preaching to the choir , you mean that they are presenting an argument or opinion to people who already agree with it.
to practise what you preach
If you say that someone practises what they preach , you mean that they behave in the way that they encourage other people to behave in.
to preach to the converted
If you say that someone is preaching to the converted , you mean that they are wasting their time because they are trying to persuade people to think or believe in things that they already think or believe in.
Chinese translation of 'preach'
preach
(priːtʃ)
vi
[priest, vicar]布(佈)道 (bùdào)
(= moralize) 说(說)教 (shuōjiào)
vt
[sermon]讲(講)道 (jiǎngdào)
(= advocate) 宣扬(揚) (xuānyáng)
to preach at sb (fig) 对(對)某人说(說)教 (duì mǒurén shuōjiào)
to be preaching to the converted (fig) 对(對)人们(們)宣传(傳)他们(們)早已持有的观(觀)点(點) (duì rénmen xuānchuán tāmen zǎo yǐ chíyǒu de guāndiǎn)
to preach the Gospel传(傳)播福音 (chuánbō fúyīn)
1 (verb)
Definition
to talk on a religious theme as part of a church service
The bishop preached to a huge crowd.
Synonyms
deliver a sermon
address
exhort
evangelize
Irish monks had settled there in the seventh century to evangelize the North.
preach a sermon
orate
2 (verb)
a humble man who preaches the word of God
Synonyms
proclaim
He continues to proclaim his innocence.
explain
He explained the process to us in simple terms.
teach
She teaches English to Japanese business people.
spread
Someone has been spreading rumours about us.
propagate
They propagated subversive political doctrines.
disseminate
The press plays a critical part in disseminating news and information.
expound
Schmidt continued to expound his theories on economics.
make known
3 (verb)
Definition
to speak in support of (something) in a moralizing way
The movement preaches revolution.
Synonyms
urge
He urged restraint on the security forces.
teach
a programme to teach educational skills
She taught me to read.
champion
He passionately championed the poor.
recommend
I recommend that you consult your doctor.
advise
I would strongly advise against it.
counsel
My advisors counselled me to do nothing.
advocate
They advocate fewer government controls on business.
exhort
phrasal verb
See preach at someone
Additional synonyms
in the sense of advise
Definition
to offer advice to
I would strongly advise against it.
Synonyms
recommend,
suggest,
urge,
counsel,
advocate,
caution,
prescribe,
commend,
admonish,
enjoin
in the sense of advocate
Definition
to recommend a course of action publicly
They advocate fewer government controls on business.
Synonyms
recommend,
support,
champion,
encourage,
propose,
favour,
defend,
promote,
urge,
advise,
justify,
endorse,
campaign for,
prescribe,
speak for,
uphold,
press for,
argue for,
commend,
plead for,
espouse,
countenance,
hold a brief for (informal)
in the sense of champion
Definition
to support
He passionately championed the poor.
Synonyms
support,
back,
defend,
promote,
advocate,
fight for,
uphold,
espouse,
stick up for (informal),
endorse
Synonyms of 'preach'
preach
Explore 'preach' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of counsel
Definition
to recommend or urge
My advisors counselled me to do nothing.
Synonyms
advise,
recommend,
advocate,
prescribe,
warn,
urge,
caution,
instruct,
exhort (formal),
admonish
in the sense of disseminate
Definition
to spread (information, ideas, etc.) widely
The press plays a critical part in disseminating news and information.
Synonyms
spread,
publish,
broadcast,
distribute,
scatter,
proclaim,
circulate,
sow,
disperse,
diffuse,
publicize,
dissipate,
propagate,
promulgate
in the sense of evangelize
Definition
to preach the Christian gospel (to)
Irish monks had settled there in the seventh century to evangelize the North.
Synonyms
preach to,
exhort,
proselytize,
spread the gospel to,
share the gospel with,
tell the gospel to,
offer the gospel to
in the sense of explain
Definition
to make something easily understandable, esp. by giving a clear and detailed account of it
He explained the process to us in simple terms.
Synonyms
make clear or plain,
describe,
demonstrate,
illustrate,
teach,
define,
solve,
resolve,
interpret,
disclose,
unfold,
clarify,
clear up,
simplify,
expound,
elucidate,
put into words,
throw light on,
explicate (formal),
give the details of
in the sense of expound
Definition
to explain a theory, belief, etc. in detail
Schmidt continued to expound his theories on economics.
Synonyms
explain,
describe,
illustrate,
interpret,
unfold,
spell out,
set forth,
elucidate,
explicate (formal)
in the sense of propagate
Definition
to spread (information or ideas)
They propagated subversive political doctrines.
Synonyms
spread,
publish,
promote,
broadcast,
proclaim,
transmit,
circulate,
diffuse,
publicize,
disseminate,
promulgate,
make known
in the sense of recommend
Definition
to advise as the best course or choice
I recommend that you consult your doctor.
Synonyms
advise,
suggest,
advance,
propose,
urge,
counsel,
advocate,
prescribe,
put forward,
exhort (formal),
enjoin
in the sense of spread
Definition
to send or be sent out in all directions or to many people
Someone has been spreading rumours about us.
Synonyms
circulate,
publish,
broadcast,
advertise,
distribute,
scatter,
proclaim,
transmit,
make public,
publicize,
propagate,
disseminate,
promulgate,
make known,
blazon,
bruit
in the sense of teach
Definition
to give instruction or lessons in (a subject) to (students)
She teaches English to Japanese business people.
Synonyms
give lessons in,
lecture in,
give instruction in,
tutor,
explain,
expound,
inculcate,
inform someone about
in the sense of teach
Definition
to give instruction or lessons in (a subject) to (students)
a programme to teach educational skillsShe taught me to read.