flourish
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈflʌɹ.ɪʃ/
note: without the hurry–furry merger
ipa: /ˈflʌɹ.ɪʃ/
ipa: /ˈflɝ.ɪʃ/
note: US, hypercorrection
ipa: /ˈflʊɹ.ɪʃ/
ipa: /ˈflɐɹ.ɪʃ/
ipa: /ˈflɐɹ.əʃ/
rhymes: -ʌɹɪʃ
rhymes: (hypercorrection) -ʊɹɪʃ
Forms: form: flourishes
form: flourishing
form: flourished
form: flourished
form: florysh
form: floryshe
Etymology: From Middle English floryschen, from Old French florir (via the arrhizotonic stem floriss-), from Late Latin flōrīre, from Latin flōrēre, from Latin flōrem (“flower”, noun). Corresponds to flower + -ish.
Senses: examples: text: The barley flourished in the warm weather.
text: 'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.
ref: 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 1:
glosses: To thrive or grow well.
examples: text: The town flourished with the coming of the railway.
text: The cooperation flourished as the customers rushed in the business.
text: Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the means of their wickedness.
ref: 1795, Robert Nelson, A Companion for the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England:
text: One hall called Civil Law Hall or School, flouriſhed about this time (though in its buildings decayed) by the care of the learned and judicious Dr. Will. Warham Principal or Moderator thereof […]
ref: 1792, Anthony à Wood, The History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford: In Two Books, volume 1, Oxford: John Gutch, →OCLC, page 661:
glosses: To prosper or fare well.
examples: text: His writing flourished before the war.
glosses: To be in a period of greatest influence.
examples: text: But all that I ſhall ſay in this vvhole Argument, vvill be but like Bottomes of Thred, cloſe vvound vp, vvhich vvith a good Needle (perhaps) may be flouriſhed into large VVorkes.
ref: a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC, page 4:
glosses: To develop; to make thrive; to expand.
examples: text: They flourished the banner as they stormed the palace.
text: The squirrel flourished its fluffy tail about as an alarm signal after its narrow escape from the cat.
glosses: To make bold, sweeping movements with.
examples: text: Impetuous spread the stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head.
ref: 1728, [Alexander Pope], “(please specify the page)”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin; London: […] A. Dodd, →OCLC:
glosses: To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion.
examples: text: They dilate […] and flourish long upon little incidents.
ref: 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
glosses: To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions.
glosses: To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.
examples: text: With shadowy verdure flourish'd high,
A sudden youth the groves enjoy.
ref: 1716, Elijah Fenton, an ode to John Gower:
text: To bring you thus together, 'tis no sin, Sith that the justice of your title to him Doth flourish the deceit.
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
glosses: To adorn with beautiful figures or rhetoric; to ornament with anything showy; to embellish.
examples: text: Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus?
ref: c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
glosses: To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude.
glosses: To boast; to vaunt; to brag.
glosses: To brandish (a weapon).
Derived terms: flourishable
flourisher
flourishly
flourishment
flourishy
outflourish
overflourish
reflourish
unflourished