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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