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| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | tæcan 'to show, teach' |
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teach S1 W2
past tense and past participle taught
past tense and past participle taught1 to give lessons in a school, college, or university, or to help someone learn about something by giving them information [↪ learn]
school/college etc
[intransitive and transitive]2 to show someone how to do something
show somebody how
[transitive] teach somebody (how) to do something 
My father taught me to swim.different methods of teaching children how to read
My father taught me to swim.different methods of teaching children how to read3 to show or tell someone how they should behave or what they should think
change somebody's ideas
[transitive] teach somebody something No one ever taught him the difference between right and wrong.
No one ever taught him the difference between right and wrong.4 if an experience or situation teaches you something, it helps you to understand something about life
experience shows something
[transitive] teach somebody to do something Experience has taught me to avoid certain areas of the city.
Experience has taught me to avoid certain areas of the city. teach somebody that It's certainly taught me that work and money aren't the most important things in life.
It's certainly taught me that work and money aren't the most important things in life.5 used when something unpleasant has just happened to someone because they acted stupidly : That'll teach you to be late!
that'll teach you (to do something)
spokenThat'll teach you to be late!6 if someone or something teaches you a lesson, you are punished for something you have done, so that you will not want to do it again
teach somebody a lesson
informal7 used to say that older people often do not want to change the way they do things
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
8 to give someone advice about something that they already know
