- 1[intransitive, transitive] to give a religious talk in a public place, especially in a church during a service She preached to the congregation about forgiveness. preach something The minister preached a sermon on the parable of the lost sheep.
- 2[transitive, intransitive] to tell people about a particular religion, way of life, system, etc. in order to persuade them to accept it preach something to preach the word of God He preached the virtues of capitalism to us. preach (about something) She preached about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Topic CollocationsReligionbeing religious
- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become an agnostic/an atheist/a believer/a Buddhist/Christian/Hindu/Muslim, etc.
- convert to/practice a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the Church/a convent/a monastery/the clergy/the priesthood/a religious sect/a cult
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a bar mitzvah/a bat mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite/the last rites
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Diwali/Easter/Eid/Hanukkah/Passover/Ramadan
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam/a message
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the Gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derived from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose/question your faith
- keep/practice/abandon the faith
- save/purify/lose your soul
- obey/follow/keep/break/violate a commandment/Islamic law/Jewish law
- be/accept/do God's will
- receive/experience divine grace
- achieve/attain enlightenment/salvation/nirvana
- undergo a conversion/rebirth/reincarnation
- hear/answer a prayer
- commit/confess/forgive a sin
- do/perform penance
- 3[intransitive] (disapproving) to give someone advice on moral standards, behavior, etc., especially in a way that they find annoying or boring I'm sorry, I didn't mean to preach. preach at somebody You're preaching at me again! Idioms
preach
verbNAmE//pritʃ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they preach he / she / it preaches
past simple preached
-ing form preaching
to do the things yourself that you tell other people to do
to speak to people in support of views that they already hold
Check pronunciation: preach