Part 4410

<blockquote>A tree thrives and <b>flourishes</b> in a kindly . . . soil. <i>Bp. Horne.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>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.</def>

<blockquote>When all the workers of iniquity do <b>flourish</b>. <i>Ps. xcii 7</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Bad men as frequently prosper and <b>flourish</b>, and that by the means of their wickedness. <i>Nelson.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>We say Of those that held their heads above the crowd, They <b>flourished</b> then or then. <i>Tennyson.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions; to be flowery.</def>

<blockquote>They dilate . . . and <b>flourish</b> long on little incidents. <i>J. Watts.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion.</def>

<blockquote>Impetuous spread The stream, and smoking <b>flourished</b> o'er his head. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude.</def>

<blockquote>Why do the emperor's trumpets <b>flourish</b> thus? <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>To boast; to vaunt; to brag.</def>

<i>Pope.</i>

<h1>Flourish</h1> <Xpage=573>

<hw>Flour"ish</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To adorn with flowers orbeautiful figures, either natural or artificial; to ornament with anything showy; to embellish.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Fenton.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To embellish with the flowers of diction; to adorn with rhetorical figures; to grace with ostentatious eloquence; to set off with a parade of words.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Sith that the justice of your title to him Doth <b>flourish</b> the deceit. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To move in bold or irregular figures; to swing about in circles or vibrations by way of show or triumph; to brandish.</def>

<blockquote>And <b>flourishes</b> his blade in spite of me. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To develop; to make thrive; to expand.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Bottoms of thread . . . which with a good needle, perhaps <?/ may be <b>flourished</b> into large works. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Flourish</h1> <Xpage=573>

<hw>Flour"ish</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Flourishes</plw> <tt>(<?/)</tt>.</plu> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A flourishing condition; prosperity; vigor.</def> <mark>[Archaic]</mark>

<blockquote>The Roman monarchy, in her highest <b>flourish</b>, never had the like. <i>Howell.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Decoration; ornament; beauty.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>flourish</b> of his sober youth Was the pride of naked truth. <i>Crashaw.</i></blockquote>