Verb

(es)

To thrive or grow well.

*

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage='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.}}

To prosper or fare well.

* Nelson

Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish , and that by the means of their wickedness.

* '>citation

To be in a period of greatest influence.

To develop; to make thrive; to expand.

* Francis Bacon

Bottoms of thread which with a good needle, perhaps may be flourished into large works.

To make bold, sweeping movements with.

To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion.

* Alexander Pope

Impetuous spread the stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head.

To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions.

* J. Watts

They dilate and flourish long on little incidents.

To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.

To adorn with beautiful figures or rhetoric; to ornament with anything showy; to embellish.

(Fenton)

(Shakespeare)

To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude.

* Shakespeare

Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus?

(obsolete) To boast; to vaunt; to brag.

(Alexander Pope)