Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - preach

(preaches, preaching, preached) 1. When a member of the clergy preaches a sermon, he or she gives a talk on a religious or moral subject during a religious service. At High Mass the priest preached a sermon on the devil... The bishop preached to a crowd of several hundred local people... He denounced the decision to invite his fellow archbishop to preach. VERB: V n, V to n, V, also V against/on n 2. When people preach a belief or a course of action, they try to persuade other people to accept the belief or to take the course of action. The Prime Minister said he was trying to preach peace and tolerance to his people... Health experts are now preaching that even a little exercise is far better than none at all... For many years I have preached against war. VERB: V n, V that, V against/about n 3. If someone gives you advice in a very serious, boring way, you can say that they are preaching at you. ‘Don’t preach at me,’ he shouted. VERB: V at n c darkgreen]disapproval 4. If you say that someone practises what they preach, you mean that they behave in the way that they encourage other people to behave in. He ought to practise what he preaches. PHRASE: Vs inflect 5. If you say that someone is preaching to the converted, you mean that they are wasting their time because they are trying to persuade people to think or believe in things that they already think or believe in. PHRASE: V inflects