[preach] vb [ME prechen, fr. OF prechier, fr. LL praedicare, fr. L, to proclaim publicly, fr. prae- pre- + dicare to proclaim--more at diction] vi (13c) 1: to deliver a sermon
2: to urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action; specif: to exhort in an officious or tiresome manner ~ vt 1: to set forth in a sermon "~ the gospel"
2: to advocate earnestly "~ed revolution"
3: to deliver (as a sermon) publicly
4: to bring, put, or affect by preaching "~ed the ... church out of debt --Amer. Guide Series: Va." -- preach.er n -- preach.ing.ly adv