Preached

Preached is the past tense and past participle of the verb preach. It commonly means to deliver a sermon or religious instruction to a group; it can also mean to advocate a belief or moral or political position in a public or persistent manner. In secular contexts, to preach can imply moralizing or urging others to adopt a viewpoint.

Etymology: The verb originated in Old English predican, with roots in the Proto-Germanic language; it is cognate with German predigen and Dutch preken. The form preached reflects the standard English pattern for regular past tense verbs.

Usage and nuance: In religious settings, sentences such as “the pastor preached a sermon” are typical. In broader usage, “to preach” can carry a sense of exhortation or moralizing beyond strictly religious speech. The phrase “preached to the choir” describes delivering a message to people already inclined to agree, often implying a lack of persuasion for others. In many contexts, the act emphasizes exhortation over neutral instruction.

See also: preaching, sermon, preacher, sermonizing.