moralize

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: mor=al=ize

CIDE DICTIONARY

moralize, v. t. [Cf. F. moraliser.].

•  To apply to a moral purpose; to explain in a moral sense; to draw a moral from.  [1913 Webster]

  "This fable is moralized in a common proverb."  [1913 Webster]

  "Did he not moralize this spectacle?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To furnish with moral lessons, teachings, or examples; to lend a moral to.  [1913 Webster]

  "While chastening thoughts of sweetest use, bestowed
  By Wisdom, moralize his pensive road."  [1913 Webster]
•  To render moral; to correct the morals of.  [1913 Webster]

  "It had a large share in moralizing the poor white people of the country."  [1913 Webster]
•  To give a moral quality to; to affect the moral quality of, either for better or worse.  [1913 Webster]

  "Good and bad stars moralize not our actions."  [1913 Webster]

moralize, v. i. 

•  To make moral reflections; to regard acts and events as involving a moral.  [1913 Webster]
•  to lecture to a person in a manner asserting moral principles.  [WordNet 1.5]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

moralize, v. (also -ise)
1 intr. (often foll. by on) indulge in moral reflection or talk.
2 tr. interpret morally; point the moral of.
3 tr. make moral or more moral.

Derivative

moralization n. moralizer n. moralizingly adv.

Etymology

F moraliser or med.L moralizare f. L (as MORAL)

THESAURUS

moralize

annotate, censure, criticize, critique, discourse, explain, exposit, expound, harangue, hold forth, lecture, moralize upon, point a moral, pontificate, preach, preachify, read a lesson, review, sermonize

ROGET THESAURUS

moralize

Teaching

VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.