flourish
pronunciation
How to pronounce flourish in British English:
UK [ˈflʌrɪʃ]
How to pronounce flourish in American English:
US [ˈflɜːrɪʃ]
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- Noun:
- a showy gesture
- an ornamental embellishment in writing
- a display of ornamental speech or language
- the act of waving
- (music) a short lively tune played on brass instruments
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- Verb:
- grow stronger
- gain in wealth
- move or swing back and forth
Word Origin
- flourish
- flourish: [13] To flourish is etymologically to ‘flower’ – and indeed ‘come into flower, bloom’ is originally what the verb literally meant in English: ‘to smell the sweet savour of the vine when it flourisheth’, Geoffrey Chaucer, Parson’s Tale 1386. The metaphorical ‘thrive’ developed in the 14th century. The word comes from Old French floriss-, the stem of florir ‘bloom’, which goes back via Vulgar Latin *florīre to classical Latin florēre, a derivative of flōs ‘flower’.=> flower
- flourish (v.)
- c. 1300, "to blossom, grow" (intransitive), from Old French floriss-, stem of florir "to blossom, flower, bloom; prosper, flourish," from Latin florere "to bloom, blossom, flower," figuratively "to flourish, be prosperous," from flos "a flower" (see flora). Metaphoric sense of "thrive" is mid-14c. in English. Transitive meaning "brandish (a weapon), hold in the hand and wave about" is from late 14c. Related: Flourished; flourishing.
- flourish (n.)
- c. 1500, "a blossom," from flourish (v.). Meaning "an ostentatious waving of a weapon" is from 1550s; that of "excessive literary or rhetorical embellishment" is from c. 1600; in reference to decorative curves in penmanship, 1650s; as "a fanfare of trumpets," 1590s.
Example
- 1. They flourish in unregulated markets .
- 2. A period of relatively wet conditions saw many cultures in the area flourish .
- 3. But indian demand is growing quickly as businesses flourish and personal incomes rise .
- 4. Dismantling the war economy may help businesses flourish .
- 5. So why does liberalism not flourish there ?