preach

verb

/priːtʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they preach	/priːtʃ/ /priːtʃ/
he / she / it preaches	/ˈpriːtʃɪz/ /ˈpriːtʃɪz/
past simple preached	/priːtʃt/ /priːtʃt/
past participle preached	/priːtʃt/ /priːtʃt/
-ing form preaching	/ˈpriːtʃɪŋ/ /ˈpriːtʃɪŋ/

Idioms

[intransitive, transitive] to give a religious talk in a public place, especially in a church during a service布道，讲道（尤指教堂中礼拜时）
- She preached to the congregation about forgiveness.她向会众宣讲宽恕的道理。
- preach something The minister preached a sermon on the parable of the lost sheep.牧师讲道时用了亡羊的比喻。
Topics Religion and festivalsc1
[transitive, intransitive] to tell people about a particular religion, way of life, system, etc. in order to persuade them to accept it宣传，宣扬，宣讲（教义、生活方式、体制等）
- preach something to preach the word of God传布上帝的道
- He preached the virtues of capitalism to us.他向我们宣扬资本主义的优点。
- preach (about something) She preached about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.她宣讲了健康生活的好处。
Collocations Religion
ReligionBeing religious
- believe in God/Christ/Allah/free will/predestination/heaven and hell/an afterlife/reincarnation
- be/become a believer/an atheist/an agnostic/a Christian/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist, etc.
- convert to/practise a religion/Buddhism/Catholicism/Christianity/Islam/Judaism, etc.
- go to church/(North American English) temple (= the synagogue)
- go to the local church/mosque/synagogue/gurdwara
- belong to a church/a religious community
- join/enter the church/a convent/a monastery/a religious sect/the clergy/the priesthood
- praise/worship/obey/serve/glorify God
Celebrations and ritual
- attend/hold/conduct/lead a service
- perform a ceremony/a rite/a ritual/a baptism/the Hajj/a mitzvah
- carry out/perform a sacred/burial/funeral/fertility/purification rite
- go on/make a pilgrimage
- celebrate Christmas/Easter/Eid/Ramadan/Hanukkah/Passover/Diwali
- observe/break the Sabbath/a fast/Ramadan
- deliver/preach/hear a sermon
- lead/address the congregation
- say/recite a prayer/blessing
Religious texts and ideas
- preach/proclaim/spread the word of God/the Gospel/the message of Islam
- study/follow the dharma/the teachings of Buddha
- read/study/understand/interpret scripture/the Bible/the Koran/the gospel/the Torah
- be based on/derive from divine revelation
- commit/consider something heresy/sacrilege
Religious belief and experience
- seek/find/gain enlightenment/wisdom
- strengthen/lose your faith
- keep/practise/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
Extra Examples
- He preached against the evils of drink.他宣扬反对饮酒的罪恶。
- He preached on the need to tackle social problems.他宣扬解决社会问题的必要性。
- preaching about freedom and democracy宣扬自由和民主
[intransitive] (disapproving) to give somebody advice on moral standards, behaviour, etc., especially in a way that they find annoying or boring说教
- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to preach.很抱歉，我并没有说教的意思。
- preach at somebody You're preaching at me again!你又在对我说教了！
Topics Suggestions and advicec1, Personal qualitiesc1

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French prechier, from Latin praedicare ‘proclaim’, in ecclesiastical Latin ‘preach’, from prae ‘before’ + dicare ‘declare’.

Idioms

practise what you preach

to do the things yourself that you tell other people to do身体力行；躬行所言；言行一致

preach to the converted

(also preach to the choir especially in North American English)

to speak to people in support of views that they already hold向教徒宣教；教读书人写大字
- I realize I may be preaching to the choir, but I think he's gorgeous.我知道我这话可能多余，不过我觉得他棒极了。