pulpit
A high stand or small platform in a church where a priest or minister stands to speak to the people.
A raised, often enclosed stand in a church from which a priest or minister delivers a sermon or addresses the congregation.
A powerful public position that lets someone speak to many people and try to change their ideas or actions.
A position of public or moral authority, especially one that allows a person to speak to and influence many people, as if speaking from a church pulpit.
Priests and ministers as a group, thought of as the people who preach in churches.
The Christian clergy considered collectively, especially as preachers or religious leaders who speak from pulpits.
- Base: pulpit
- Plural: pulpits
from the pulpit
1spoken while preaching in church
Spoken by a priest or minister while standing in the pulpit and talking to people in a church.
- The bishop condemned the violence from the pulpit.
- He rarely speaks about politics from the pulpit.
- Messages of hope were shared from the pulpit every week.
the pulpit and the pew
1the clergy and the congregation
The religious leaders who preach (the pulpit) and the people who listen in church (the pew) thought of together, often to show a difference between them.
- On this issue, the pulpit and the pew are clearly divided.
- The reform was welcomed by both the pulpit and the pew.
- Debate continues in the pulpit and the pew over the new guidelines.
bully pulpit
1position used to influence others
A powerful job or public position that gives someone a good chance to speak to many people and try to change their opinions.
- The presidency gives her a bully pulpit to talk about climate change.
- He used his popular TV show as a bully pulpit for social issues.
bully pulpit
2powerful position for persuasion
A public job or important position that makes it easy for someone to speak to many people and try to change what they think or do.
- The presidency is a bully pulpit for drawing attention to national problems.
- She saw the role of mayor as a bully pulpit to push for police reform.
- Social media has become a kind of bully pulpit for many celebrities.