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preach

Syllabification: (preach)
Pronunciation: /prēCH/

Translate preach | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of preach

verb

[no object]
  • deliver a sermon or religious address to an assembled group of people, typically in church:he preached to a large congregation [with object]:our pastor will preach the sermon
  • [with object] publicly proclaim or teach (a religious message or belief):a church that preaches the good news
  • [with object] earnestly advocate (a belief or course of action):my parents have always preached toleration and moderation
  • give moral advice to someone in an annoying or pompously self-righteous way:viewers want to be entertained, not preached at

Phrases

preach to the choir (or the converted)

advocate something to people who already share one’s convictions about its merits or importance.

Derivatives

preaching

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French prechier, from Latin praedicare 'proclaim', in ecclesiastical Latin 'preach', from prae 'before' + dicare 'declare'

preach in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of preach in the British & World English dictionary

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