teach
teach
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "teach" is /tiːtʃ/.
/tiːtʃ/ - This word is a single syllable.
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
/iː/ - long close front unrounded vowel
/tʃ/ - voiceless postalveolar affricate
Word Form Variations
Base form/Infinitive: teach
Third-person singular present: teaches
Present participle: teaching
Past tense: taught
Past participle: taught
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition: To impart knowledge or skill to someone through instruction, explanation, or practice, often in a structured or formal setting.
Synonyms: instruct, educate, train, tutor, coach, enlighten, guide
Antonyms: learn, mislead, confuse, obscure
Definition: To cause someone to understand or adopt a particular belief, habit, or way of behaving through experience, example, or repeated exposure.
Synonyms: instill, inculcate, demonstrate, show, illustrate, demonstrate
Antonyms: unteach, disabuse, forget, ignore
Noun
Definition: (Informal) An instance or period of teaching; a lesson or instructional session.
Synonyms: lesson, session, class, lecture, instruction
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this informal noun usage, as it refers to an event.)
Definition: (Rare/Figurative) A principle or lesson derived from an experience or observation.
Synonyms: lesson, moral, principle, takeaway, insight
Antonyms: (No common antonyms, as it refers to a learned concept.)
Examples of Use
Books: "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." (Albert Einstein, Albert Einstein: The Human Side, May 1979)
Newspapers: "New government policies aim to teach financial literacy in schools across the country." (The New York Times)
Online Publications: "How to teach your dog to sit: A comprehensive guide for new pet owners." (PetMD.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." (Common proverb, often used in film dialogue, e.g., The Shawshank Redemption, September 1994)
Television: "We're trying to teach our kids about sustainable living, so we started a small garden." (The Good Place)
Music: "I wanna teach the world to sing in perfect harmony." (The New Seekers, "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing," November 1971)
Video Games: "The tutorial level is designed to teach players the basic mechanics of the game." (IGN Review for 'Elden Ring', February 2022)
General Public Discourse:
"My grandmother always used to say that life experiences teach you the most valuable lessons." (Heard in conversation)
"Parents are constantly looking for new ways to teach their children about empathy and kindness." (Discussed on a parenting podcast)
10 Quotes Using Teach
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." (Benjamin Franklin)
"I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think." (Socrates)
"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." (Maimonides)
"I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion." (Lao Tzu)
"You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual." (Swami Vivekananda)
"Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach." (Aristotle)
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." (Albert Einstein)
"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think." (Margaret Mead)
"To teach is to learn twice over." (Joseph Joubert)
Etymology
The word "teach" has a long history, going back to the very early days of the English language.
It comes from the Old English word "tǣċan". This word had a few related meanings, like "to show," "to point out," "to declare," but also "to give instruction," "to train," or "to direct." So, the idea of guiding someone and showing them how to do something, or sharing knowledge, has been part of "teach" from the beginning.
Going even further back, "tǣċan" is linked to a much older root in Proto-Germanic (*taikijaną), which meant "to show." This root itself comes from an even older *Proto-Indo-European root (deyḱ-) which carried the general sense of "to show, point out, or explain."
Interestingly, this ancient root also gave us words like "token" (something that points to or symbolizes something else) and in other languages, words related to "saying" or "telling" (like the Latin "dīcō," which means "I say").
So, the very first meaning of "teach" in Old English, which was used before the 12th century, was really about "showing" someone something, whether it was a path, a fact, or a skill, and guiding them to understand it. The idea of formal instruction, as we think of it today, grew out of that original concept of "pointing out" or "demonstrating."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Teach
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "teach":
Teach an old dog new tricks: To try to make someone change their established habits or learn something new, often implying it's difficult or impossible.
Teach someone a lesson: To punish someone or show them the consequences of their actions in a way that makes them less likely to repeat the mistake.
Teach by example: To demonstrate the desired behavior or skill oneself, rather than just explaining it.
Teach for America: (Specific program) A non-profit organization that recruits and trains recent college graduates to teach in low-income communities.
To teach to the test: To focus instruction narrowly on the content and format of an upcoming exam, rather than on broader understanding of the subject.
Teach-in: A long session of lectures, debates, and discussions on a particular topic, often political.
What you teach is what you learn: The act of teaching reinforces one's own understanding.
Teach the children well: A phrase emphasizing the importance of proper upbringing and education for future generations.
You can't teach what you don't know: One cannot impart knowledge or skills they themselves lack.
Teach the ropes: To instruct someone in the basic procedures or methods of a job or activity.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of teach from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
