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flourished |
1 definition found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Flourish \Flour"ish\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Flourished}; p. pr & vb n. {Flourishing}.] [OE. florisshen flurisshen OF flurir F. fleurir fr L. florere to bloom, fr flos, floris, flower. See {Flower}, and {-ish}.] 1. To grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant; a thrive. A tree thrives and flourishes in a kindly . . . soil. --Bp. Horne. 2. To be prosperous; to increase in wealth, honor, comfort, happiness, or whatever is desirable; to thrive; to be prominent and influental; specifically, of authors, painters, etc., to be in a state of activity or production. When all the workers of iniquity do flourish. --Ps. xcii 7 Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the means of their wickedness. --Nelson. We say Of those that held their heads above the crowd, They flourished then or then. --Tennyson. 3. To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions; to be flowery. They dilate . . . and flourish long on little incidents. --J. Watts. 4. To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion. Impetuous spread The stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head. --Pope. 5. To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures. 6. To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude. Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus? --Shak. 7. To boast; to vaunt; to brag. --Pope.
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