flourish
/ˈflʌɹ.ɪʃ/ verb C1- To thrive or grow well. · The barley flourished in the warm weather.
- To prosper or fare well. · The town flourished with the coming of the railway.· The cooperation flourished as the customers rushed in the business.
- To be in a period of greatest influence. · His writing flourished before the war.
- To develop; to make thrive; to expand.
- To make bold, sweeping movements with. · They flourished the banner as they stormed the palace.· The squirrel flourished its fluffy tail about as an alarm signal after its narrow escape from the cat.
- To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion.
- To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions.
- To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.
He/she/it flourishes · Past flourished · Past participle flourished · -ing form flourishing
Verb forms
- Base form
- flourish
- He/she/it
- flourishes
- Past
- flourished
- Past participle
- flourished
- -ing form
- flourishing
From the library
The notary solemnly took the pen, flourished it above his head, and said:
The Greek e with the peculiar top flourish is distinctive.
“Jean Baptiste Greuze,” Holmes continued, joining his finger tips and leaning well back in his chair, “was a French artist who flourished between the years 1750 and 1800.
I envy you your beauty and your perfume.” The Rose replied, “I indeed, dear Amaranth, flourish but for a brief season!
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