Flourished

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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.


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              A tree thrives and flourishes in a kindly . . .
              soil.                                 --Bp. Horne.
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     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.
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              When all the workers of iniquity do flourish. --Ps.
                                                    xcii 7
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              Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that
              by the means of their wickedness.     --Nelson.
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              We say
              Of those that held their heads above the crowd,
              They flourished then or then.         --Tennyson.
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     3. To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures
        and lofty expressions; to be flowery.
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              They dilate . . . and flourish long on little
              incidents.                            --J. Watts.
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     4. To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements,
        by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with
        fantastic and irregular motion.
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              Impetuous spread
              The stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head.
                                                    --Pope.
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     5. To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write
        graceful, decorative figures.
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     6. To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by
        way of ornament or prelude.
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              Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus? --Shak.
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     7. To boast; to vaunt; to brag. --Pope.
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