Past tense of lecture; delivered an educational talk to an audience or scolded someone at length.
From Latin 'lectura' meaning 'a reading,' from 'legere' (to read). Medieval universities used 'lectiones' where professors literally read from texts. The meaning evolved to include any formal educational discourse and eventually the informal sense of lengthy scolding.
The original university lectures were literally readings because books were rare and expensive - professors owned the only copies! The shift from reading aloud to interactive teaching represents one of education's greatest evolution, though some students might argue modern lectures still feel like medieval reading sessions.
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