Search the Dictionary

Of or pertaining to the laity, as distinct from the clergy; as, a lay person; a lay preacher; a lay brother.

One who lectures; an assistant preacher.

A blundering preacher.

of people; the multitude of stars; a multitude of cares. It is a fault in a multitude of preachers, that they uttery neglect method in their harangues. I. Watts. A multitude of flowers As countless as the stars on high. Longfellow.

Of the nature of a parasite; fawning for food or favors; sycophantic. "Parasitic preachers." Milton.

gyman having ecclesiastical preferment; one who is in orders, or is licensed to preach; a preacher. He hears the parson pray and preach. Longfellow. Parson bird (Zoöl.), a New Zealand bird (Prosthemadera Novæseelandiæ) remarkable for its powers of mimicry and its ability to articulate words. Its color is glossy black,…

r approved by the people; pleasing to people in general, or to many people; as, a popular preacher; a popular law; a popular administration.

Doing; active. [Obs.] Sylvester. -- Prac"tive*ly, adv. [Obs.] The preacher and the people both, Then practively did thrive. Warner.

To give serious advice on morals or religion; to discourse in the manner of a preacher.

To discourse in the manner of a preacher. [Colloq.] Thackeray.

A preacher; -- so called in contempt. [Obs.] Howell.

The whole body of the clergy; preachers as a class; also, preaching. I say the pulpit (in the sober use Of its legitimate, peculiar powers) Must stand acknowledged, while the world shall stand, The most important and effectual guard, Support, and ornament of virtue's cause. Cowper.

One who speaks in a pulpit; a preacher; -- so called in contempt. Howell. We never can think it sinful that Burns should have been humorous on such a pulpiteer. Prof. Wilson.

A preacher. [Obs.]

of thought; to be noisy, boisterous, and bombastic in talk or declamation; as, a ranting preacher. Look where my ranting host of the Garter comes! Shak.

To carry the mind or throught; to direct attention; as, the preacher referrd to the late election.

in a good sense; as, to relapse into slumber after being disturbed. That task performed, [preachers] relapse into themselves. Cowper.

A preacher; a sermonizer. [Derogative or Jocose.] Thackeray.

To feel a quick, darting pain; to throb in pain. These preachers make His head to shoot and ache. Herbert.

ay. -- To sit under, to be under the instruction or ministrations of; as, to sit under a preacher; to sit under good preaching. -- To sit up, to rise from, or refrain from, a recumbent posture or from sleep; to sit with the body upright; as, to sit up late at night; also, to watch; as, to sit up with a sick person. "…