¦ verb
1. deliver a religious address to an assembled group of people.
publicly proclaim (a religious message).
2. earnestly advocate (a principle): my parents always preached tolerance.
(preach at) give moral advice to (someone) in a self-righteous way.
Derivatives
preacher noun
preachiness noun
preachy adjective
Origin
ME: from OFr. prechier, from L. praedicare 'proclaim', in eccles. L. 'preach'.