Definitions for flourish
ˈflɜr ɪʃ, ˈflʌr-flour·ish

Princeton's WordNet(2.75 / 8 votes)Rate this definition:

1. flourish(noun)

   a showy gesture

   "she entered with a great flourish"

2. flourish(noun)

   an ornamental embellishment in writing

3. flourish(noun)

   a display of ornamental speech or language

4. flourish, brandish(noun)

   the act of waving

5. flourish, fanfare, tucket(verb)

   (music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments

   "he entered to a flourish of trumpets"; "her arrival was greeted with a rousing fanfare"

6. boom, thrive, flourish, expand(verb)

   grow vigorously

   "The deer population in this town is thriving"; "business is booming"

7. thrive, prosper, fly high, flourish(verb)

   make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance

   "The new student is thriving"

8. brandish, flourish, wave(verb)

   move or swing back and forth

   "She waved her gun"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. flourish(Noun)

   A dramatic gesture such as the waving of a flag.

   With many flourishes of the captured banner, they marched down the avenue.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

2. flourish(Noun)

   An ornamentation.

   His signature ended with a flourish.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

3. flourish(Noun)

   A ceremonious passage such as a fanfare.

   The trumpets blew a flourish as they entered the church.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

4. flourish(Noun)

   A decorative embellishment on a building.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

5. flourish(Verb)

   To thrive or grow well.

   The barley flourished in the warm weather.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

6. flourish(Verb)

   To prosper or fare well.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

7. flourish(Verb)

   To be in a period of greatest influence.

   His writing flourished before the war.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

8. flourish(Verb)

   To make bold, sweeping movements with.

   They flourished the banner as they stormed the palace.

   Etymology: From florisshen, flurisshen, and from floriss-, stem of some conjugated forms of florir, ( fleurir);, from florire, from floreo (with influence from flōrēscō), from flos. See flower + -ish.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Flourish(verb)

   to grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant; a thrive

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

2. Flourish(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

3. Flourish(verb)

   to use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions; to be flowery

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

4. Flourish(verb)

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

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

5. Flourish(verb)

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

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

6. Flourish(verb)

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

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

7. Flourish(verb)

   to boast; to vaunt; to brag

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

8. Flourish(verb)

   to adorn with flowers orbeautiful figures, either natural or artificial; to ornament with anything showy; to embellish

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

9. Flourish(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

10. Flourish(verb)

    to move in bold or irregular figures; to swing about in circles or vibrations by way of show or triumph; to brandish

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

11. Flourish(verb)

    to develop; to make thrive; to expand

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

12. Flourish(noun)

    a flourishing condition; prosperity; vigor

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

13. Flourish(noun)

    decoration; ornament; beauty

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

14. Flourish(noun)

    something made or performed in a fanciful, wanton, or vaunting manner, by way of ostentation, to excite admiration, etc.; ostentatious embellishment; ambitious copiousness or amplification; parade of words and figures; show; as, a flourish of rhetoric or of wit

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

15. Flourish(noun)

    a fanciful stroke of the pen or graver; a merely decorative figure

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

16. Flourish(noun)

    a fantastic or decorative musical passage; a strain of triumph or bravado, not forming part of a regular musical composition; a cal; a fanfare

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

17. Flourish(noun)

    the waving of a weapon or other thing; a brandishing; as, the flourish of a sword

    Etymology: [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Flourish

   flur′ish, v.i. to thrive luxuriantly: to be prosperous: to use copious and flowery language: to move in fantastic figures: to display ostentatiously: (mus.) to play ostentatious passages, or ostentatiously: to play a trumpet-call: to make ornamental strokes with the pen: to boast or brag.—v.t. to adorn with flourishes or ornaments: to swing about by way of show or triumph: (Shak.) to gloss over.—n. decoration: showy splendour: a figure made by a bold stroke of the pen: the waving of a weapon or other thing: a parade of words: a musical prelude: a trumpet-call.—adjs. Flour′ished, decorated with flourishes; Flour′ishing, thriving: prosperous: making a show.—adv. Flour′ishingly.—adj. Flour′ishy, abounding in flourishes.—Flourish of trumpets, a trumpet-call sounded on the approach of great persons; any ostentatious introduction. [O. Fr. florir, L. flos, flower.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. flourish

   The waving of a weapon or other thing; a brandishing; as, the flourish of a sword.

2. flourish

   To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude, as, a flourish of trumpets.

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'flourish' in Verbs Frequency: #1087

How to pronounce flourish?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say flourish in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of flourish in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of flourish in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of flourish in a Sentence

1. Jimmy Whitworth:

   There are a few genetic differences between the African and Asian lineages, and it looks like the Asian lineages may be better able to transmit and flourish in a human population.

2. Cometan:

   Allowing him to flourish is killing my chance to flower.

3. Virginia Satir:

   Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible--the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nuturing family.

4. Shawn Sanders:

   I was like, Man, thats crazy, it really hit home. That gives me the power and the energy to keep going and be the person I am today, and continue to help people, help the youth coming up under me and just continue to live life and flourish.

5. Henry Commager:

   If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism if our government is to function it must have dissent.

Images & Illustrations of flourish

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