different between preach vs preachy

English

Etymology

From Middle English prechen, from Old French prëechier, precchier (Modern French prêcher), from Latin praedic?. Doublet of predicate.

The Latin word is also the source of Old English predician (“to preach”), Saterland Frisian preetje (“to preach”), West Frisian preekje (“to preach”), Dutch preken (“to preach”), German Low German preken (“to preach”), German predigen (“to preach”), Danish prædike (“to preach”), Swedish predika (“to preach”), Icelandic prédika (“to preach”), Norwegian Nynorsk preika (“to preach”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?i?t??/
• Rhymes: -i?t?

Verb

preach (third-person singular simple present preaches, present participle preaching, simple past and past participle preached or (nonstandard) praught)

1. (intransitive) To give a sermon.

   A learned local Muslim used to preach in the small mosque every Friday.

2. (transitive) To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue.

   • The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.

3. (transitive) To advise or recommend earnestly.
4. (transitive) To teach or instruct by preaching; to inform by preaching.
   • 1801, Robert Southey, Thalaba the Destroyer

     The Spirits of the Dead, / Quitting their mortal mansion, enter not, / As ye are preached, their final seat / Of bliss, or bale.

5. (intransitive) To give advice in an offensive or obtrusive manner.

Derived terms

• preacher
• preachy

Related terms

• practice what one preaches, practise what one preaches
• preach to the choir
• preach to the converted

Translations

See also

• praught

Noun

preach (plural preaches)

1. (obsolete) A religious discourse.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Hooker to this entry?)

Anagrams

• eparch, pearch

English

Etymology

preach +? -y

Pronunciation

• Homophone: preachee

Adjective

preachy (comparative preachier, superlative preachiest)

1. Tending toward excessive moralization.

   My old fussbudget aunt had a very preachy manner and would prattle on about the dangers of alcohol and other vices.

Synonyms

• (tending toward excessive moralization): didactic, moralizing, pious, sanctimonious, sermonizing

Antonyms

• (tending toward excessive moralization): impious, irreverent, tolerant, laissez faire

Anagrams

• eparchy