preach

Preach is defined as to give a speech or advice about morals or spirituality.

(verb)

An example of preach is Martin Luther King Jr. giving his I Have a Dream speech.

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See preach in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb

  1. to speak in public on religious matters; give a sermon
  2. to give moral or religious advice, esp. in a tiresome manner

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

transitive verb

  1. to expound or proclaim by preaching
  2. to advocate by or as by preaching; urge strongly or persistently
  3. to deliver (a sermon)

See preach in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb preached, preach·ing, preach·es
verb, transitive
  1. To proclaim or put forth in a sermon: preached the gospel.
  2. To advocate, especially to urge acceptance of or compliance with: preached tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
  3. To deliver (a sermon).
verb, intransitive
  1. To deliver a sermon.
  2. To give religious or moral instruction, especially in a tedious manner.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English prechen

Origin: , from Old French preechier

Origin: , from Late Latin praedicāre

Origin: , from Latin, to proclaim

Origin: : prae-, pre-

Origin: + dicāre, to proclaim; see deik- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • preachˈing·ly adverb

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