Part 218

Flounce (?), n. The act of floucing; a sudden, jerking motion of the body.

Flounce, n. [Cf. G. flaus, flausch, a tuft of wool or hair; akin to vliess, E. fleece; or perh. corrupted fr. rounce.] An ornamental appendage to the skirt of a woman's dress, consisting of a strip gathered and sewed on by its upper edge around the skirt, and left hanging.

Flounce, v. t. To deck with a flounce or flounces; as, to flounce a petticoat or a frock.

Floun"der (?), n. [Cf. Sw. flundra; akin to Dan. flynder, Icel. fly&?;ra, G. flunder, and perh. to E. flounder, v.i.] 1. (Zoˆl.) A flatfish of the family PleuronectidÊ, of many species.

The common English flounder is Pleuronectes flesus. There are several common American species used as food; as the smooth flounder (P. glabra); the rough or winter flounder (P. Americanus); the summer flounder, or plaice (Paralichthys dentatus), Atlantic coast; and the starry flounder (Pleuronectes stellatus).

2. (Bootmaking) A tool used in crimping boot fronts.

Floun"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Floundered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Floundering.] [Cf. D. flodderen to flap, splash through mire, E. flounce, v.i., and flounder the fish.] To fling the limbs and body, as in making efforts to move; to struggle, as a horse in the mire, or as a fish on land; to roll, toss, and tumble; to flounce.

They have floundered on from blunder to blunder.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Floun"der, n. The act of floundering.

Flour (?), n. [F. fleur de farine the flower (i.e., the best) of meal, cf. Sp. flor de la harina superfine flour, Icel. fl¸r flower, flour. See Flower.] The finely ground meal of wheat, or of any other grain; especially, the finer part of meal separated by bolting; hence, the fine and soft powder of any substance; as, flour of emery; flour of mustard.

Flour bolt, in milling, a gauze-covered, revolving, cylindrical frame or reel, for sifting the flour from the refuse contained in the meal yielded by the stones. -- Flour box a tin box for scattering flour; a dredging box. -- Flour dredge or dredger, a flour box. -- Flour dresser, a mashine for sorting and distributing flour according to grades of fineness. -- Flour mill, a mill for grinding and sifting flour.

Flour, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Floured (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Flouring.] 1. To grind and bolt; to convert into flour; as, to flour wheat.

2. To sprinkle with flour.

Floured (?), p. a. Finely granulated; -- said of quicksilver which has been granulated by agitation during the amalgamation process. Raymond.

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.