Flourish v.

Pa. t. and pple. flourished. Forms: 3–4 floris(e, (4 floryse, fluris), 4 florisse, 4–5 florysse, floresshe, florische, (4 flurshe, fluri(s)che, flors(c)he, 5 floresche, florche), 4–6 florisshe, -yssh(e, 4–7 florish(e, (6 floorish), 5–6 florys(c)h(e, 6 Sc. flures, -eis, -is, flwreis, 4–6 flourishe, (4 flouresshe), 5–6 flourysshe, (5 flowrysche, 6 flourys(c)h, 7 flowrish), 4– flourish. [a. OF. floriss- lengthened stem of florir (mod.F. fleurir) = Pr. florir, It. fiorire:—vulgar L. type *flōrīre, f. flōr-, flōs, flower. The intr. senses represent those of L. flōrēre, which like many other vbs. in -ēre passed into the -īre conjugation in Romanic.]

  I.  intr. To blossom, thrive.

  † 1.  Of a plant or tree: To blossom, flower. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21701 (Gött.). Þar florist ane [wand] als ȝe haue herd.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 43. That may nat endure to smelle the sote savour of the vyne whanne it florissheth.

1485.  Caxton, Charles the Grete, 36. The crowne began to florysshe & a meruayllous swete odour yssued out of the floures, soo ryȝt delycyous that eche man supposed that hys vestements & clothyng had comen oute of heuen.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, II. xx. 170. It beginneth to floure at the toppe of the stalke, and so goeth florishing downewarde.

  b.  To throw out leaves and shoots; to shoot forth; to grow vigorously and luxuriantly. Now only with mixture of sense 4.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 905.

1382.  Wyclif, Ezek. xvii. 24. Y driede the greene tree, and Y made the drye tree for to florisshe.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 25 b. In hotte Countreys later, least they shoulde florishe before the Winter, and be destroyed of woormes, or blasted.

1717.  Broome, Seat of War in Flanders, 157, Poems, 76.

1784.  Cowper, Task, III. 571.

1877.  Huxley, Physiography, xiii. 212. As these trees do not grow in water, it is evident that the land on which they flourished has been depressed.

  c.  fig.

1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 723.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVIII. xxv. Euery lusty herte that is in ony maner a louer spryngeth and floryssheth in lusty dedes.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 74. Flourysshe the forenoone neuer so fresshe, at the last commeth the euentyde.

a. 1586.  Satir. Poems Reform., xxxvii. 67.

1611.  Bible, Isa., lxvi. 14. Your bones shall flourish like an herbe.

  2.  gen. To thrive. a. Of persons: To prosper, do well.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, Cant. 518. Whare ere þai now all bicumyn þat florysst in þis warlde?

1572.  Forrest, Theophilus, 697, in Anglia, VII.

1670.  R. Coke, Disc. Trade, 60. We flourish in the French Trade, and are so solely possessed of the Canary Trade, as we admit of no competitor.

1704.  Nelson, Compan. Festiv. & Fasts, xxiv. 255. The Dispensations of God’s Providence towards Men in this World are very promiscuous; good Men often suffer, and that even for the Sake of Righteousness; and bad Men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the Means of their Wickedness.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Brooke Farm, iii. 31. The very men who were starving on land of their own, are now flourishing on the wages I give them.

1874.  L. Stephen, Hours in Library (1892), I. vi. 233. Tartufe has a good time of it in Balzac: instead of meeting with an appropriate punishment, he flourishes and thrives, and we look on with a smile not altogether devoid of complacency.

  b.  Of things (e.g., art, science, an institution): To attain full development; to be prosperous or successful, be in vogue; to have many followers or patrons.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 6233. Men may in seculer clothes see Florisshen holy religioun.

1504.  Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, I. xviii. 166. The holy sayntes that haue ben afore vs, in whom florysshed the perfeccyon of all relygyon and feythe.

1571.  Digges, Pantom., Math. Disc., Pref. T j. These beeing in deede certayne testimonies and memorials where such sciences firste tooke their originall, and in what languages and countreys they chieflye florished.

1649.  Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, v. 47. The way for the church to prosper & florish, is for every member to keep in his own rank and order, to remember his own measure, to act in his owne sphere, to manage his particular condition and relations with spirituall wisedome and humility; the eye to doe the work of an eye, the hand of an hand.

1754.  Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. iv. 144. They will hardly say they are wiser than all who lived when Learning and Arts and Sciences flourished in the East, in Greece, and at Rome.

1885.  Law Times, LXXIX. 20 June, 130/1. The poor law system, which has flourished for over three centuries, is, so far as it goes, Socialism pure and simple.

  † 3.  To thrive, display vigor in, of, with (something specified); also, to abound in, overflow with.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 21222 (Cott.). Barnabas … In vertuz florisand sa fele.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 96. So lustful lyf of men þat shulden florishe in vertues bryngiþ in siche lawes biside wordis of bileve.

1530.  Lyndesay, Test. Papyngo, 794.

1559.  W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, 175. Cambridge, a Uniuersitie florishing with al kind of good letters.

1628.  Hobbes, Thucyd. (1822), 1. They flourished on both sides in all manner of provision.

1660.  F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., Ded. A ij. My Name being to appear in publick with this Translation in an age that flourishes with Pens, and Criticks; conscious of my disadvantage, I apprehended a Patron necessary; whose Name in the Front, like a Princes stamp upon Lead, might give authority and make it currant coyne.

1726.  Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., II. 4/1. Greece came next; which flourishing in excellent Geniusses and Men of Learning, passionately desirous of adorning their Country, began to erect Temples and other publick Structures.

  4.  To be at the height of fame or excellence; to be in one’s bloom or prime. Also in weaker sense, used in pa. t. of a person to indicate that his life and activity belong to a specified period (cf. FLORUIT).

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 173. In his tyme Plautus Latinus … florischeþ at Rome.

1550.  Veron, Godly Saiyngs (1846), 2. Origene being born in Alexandria, did florysshe in the yere of our lorde cc,lxi.

1661.  Bramhall, Just Vind., i. 3. A Henry the Eighth at the reformation of the English Church, did but tread in the steps of his most renowned Ancestours, who flourished whilest Popery was in its Zenith.

1700.  Dryden, Pref. Fables (Globe), 494. Spencer and Fairfax both flourish’d in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; Great Masters in our Language; and who saw much farther into the Beauties of our Numbers, than those who immediately followed them.

1820.  W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 189. James flourished nearly about the time of Chaucer and Gower, and was evidently an admirer and studier of their writings.

1855.  Tennyson, Brook, 9.

  II.  To adorn.

  † 5.  trans. To adorn with flowers or verdure; to cause to bloom or thrive.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16859 (Cott.).

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVI. 69.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 78.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xlvi. 21.

1716.  Fenton, Ode to Ld. Gower, Poems (1717), 219.

  fig.  1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, XVIII. xxv. Lete euery man of worship florysshe his herte in this world.

c. 1614.  J. Davies, Scourge of Folly, To Earle Pembrooke, Wks. (Grosart), 52/1.

  † b.  Cookery. To ornament, garnish (a dish).

c. 1390[?].  Form of Cury, in Warner, Antiq. Culin. (1791), 13. Take brede…. Florish it with white coliandre in confyt.

c. 1430.  Two Cookery-bks., I. 30. Florche it a-bouyn with Pomegarned.

1502.  Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 239. Gely to potage, storke roosted, pecoke florisshed, carpe in soppis.

  † 6.  gen. To adorn, decorate, embellish, ornament. Also with out, over, up. Obs.

c. 1325.  Coer de L., 1842.

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 771. Hys feete ware floreschede alle in fyne sabylle.

1489–99.  Inscription Holloway Chapel, Widcome, nr. Bath, in Wood, Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), II. 409.

1581.  Pettie, Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., III. (1586), 125. Those which florish up themselves by arte.

1590.  Greene, Never too Late, Wks. (Grosart), VIII. 194. Her face full of chast colours: such as florish out the fronts of Dianas virgins.

1607.  Topsell, Serpents, 738. Their [Lyzards’] skin seemeth to be flourished with certain pictures.

1611.  Coryat, Crudities, 145. A little without the place which incloseth the Altar, I saw sixe very precious sockets made indeede but of timber worke, but flowrished ouer with a triple gilting.

a. 1716.  South, Serm. (1744), X. 56. This would make him begin to question the soundness of his hope, and try the foundation before he flourished the superstructure.

  fig.  1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 294.

1587.  Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1323/1. Deceipt [sheweth] finest when he is cunninglie florished.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. i. 75.

  b.  To embellish or ornament (a book, writing, etc.) with ‘flourishes’ (see FLOURISH sb. 4 b). † In early use also: To illuminate; to adorn with color or decorative designs of any kind. Obs.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 167/2. Floryschen bokys, floro.

1573.  Art of Limning, 5. With this [turnesoll] you may flourishe redde letters, or vestures.

1679–88.  Secr. Serv. Money Chas. II. & Jas. II. (Camden), 55. To Gideon Roger, for writing and flourishing, partly in gold, a letter to the Emperor of Fez and Morocco, sent by his ambassador 10 li.

  absol.  1660.  G. Tomlyn’s Patent, No. 128. A way to text and flourish in velams and parchment.

  † 7.  To embellish (a narration, etc.) with flowers of speech; to ornament or set off with fine words or phrases; to express in flowery language. Obs.

13[?].  Minor P. fr. Vernon MS., lii. 496. Þeiȝ þis tale beo florisshed with faire flour.

1494.  Fabyan, Chron., 3.

1540.  Elyot, Image Gov., Pref. (1556), 3. Desiryng more to make it playne to all readers, than to flourishe it with over muche eloquence.

1631.  Shirley, Love in Maze, III. iii.

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 63. First, That we have no Idea of God, and therefore can have no Evidence of him; which Argument is further flourisht and descanted upon in this manner.

1691.  G. D’Emilianne, Frauds Rom. Monks, 177. The Catechizer flourish’d his Discourse with Circumstances so extravagant and ridiculous, that it was impossible to forbear Laughing.

  b.  intr. ‘To use florid language; to speak with ambitious copiousness and elegance’ (J.); to descant floridly on or upon. Also with away.

1700.  T. Baker, Reflect. Learning, iv. (ed. 2), 32/2. Whilst he [Cicero] acts the Part of the Rhetorician, he dilates and flourishes, and gives Example instead of Rule.

1725.  Watts, Logic, IV. i. 518. They dilate sometimes, and flourish long upon little Incidents, and they skip over, and but lightly touch the drier Part of their Theme.

1824.  L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 435. They are often misled by a desire of flourishing on the several properties of a metaphor which they have ushered into the discourse, without taking the trouble to examine whether there are any qualities in the subject, to which these properties can, with justice and perspicuity be applied.

1858.  Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alteram Partem, II. lxxxi. 41. Another flourishes away upon the assertion that the French Emperor was chosen by the Ballot.

  † 8.  trans. a. To lay (one tint) upon (another) by way of ornament; b. to work up ornamentally.

a. 1592.  Greene, Opharion Wks. (Grosart), XII. 70. Touching the faultles mixture of vermillion flourisht vpon Iuory.

a. 1626.  Bacon, War w. Spain (1629), 3. But all that I shall say in this whole Argument, will be but like Bottomes of Thred, close wound vp, which with a good Needle (perhaps) may be flourished into large Workes.

  III.  To display ostentatiously.

  9.  To brandish (a weapon, etc.); to wave about by way of show or triumph. Also, to move (the limbs) vigorously.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Macc. xi. 8. An horsman apeeride goynge byfore hem in whijt clothe, and golden armers, florishynge a shaft. Ibid. (1388), Ps. vii. 13. If ȝe ben not conuertid, he schal florische his swerd; he hath bent his bouwe, and made it redi.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., I. i. 85.

1646.  Crashaw, Sospetto d’Herode, xxxiii.

1820.  Scott, Ivanhoe, II. iii. 45. Anon, balancing his expanded palms, he gently flourished them in time to the music.

1831.  T. L. Peacock, Crotchet Castle, viii. 144. He began mechanically to flourish his bamboo.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxi. Richard Swiveller, stopping short in the act of raising the glass to his lips, and looking at the dwarf in a species of stupor as he flourished his arms and legs about.

  † b.  absol. Obs.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., I. i. 311.

1627–77.  Feltham, Resolves, I. xxxviii. 63. Whosoever will jest, should be like him that flourishes at a show: he may turn his weapon any way, but not aim more at one, than at another.

1690.  W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., To flourish is one thing, to fight another.

  c.  intr. Of a weapon (or the like): To be brandished or waved about.

1388.  Wyclif, Job xxxix. 23. A spere and scheeld schal florische.

1773.  H. Luson, in Duncombe’s Letters, II. App. xlviii.–xlix. All this while the cane kept flourishing over Jerry’s head; who, instead of a day of dainties, which he hoped to find at my lord’s table, would now have been glad to save the drubbing on his shoulders by going away with an empty belly.

  10.  a. trans. To display, make a display or parade of. b. intr. ‘To boast, brag’ (J.); to talk big; to ‘swagger,’ ‘show off’; also with about, off. † c. To exhibit oneself conspicuously, make a flourish or parade. Obs.

  a.  c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 341. Summe florishen oþer names & seien þat he [the pope] is moost blissed fadir.

1592.  Greene, Disput., 6. Your painted flatteries and sugred words, that you florish rethorically like nettes to catch fooles.

1638.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 93. He takes the principall cittadell or fortresse, and on many parts of the wall florisht his colours in signe of victory, and as a call to Abdulchan to second him.

1755.  Scott, Dict., To Flourish Colours [in military affairs] is to display them.

  b.  1674.  N. Fairfax, A Treatise of the Bulk and Selvedge of the World, 159. If any man think to come flourishing off with this.

1699.  Bentley, Phal., Introduction, 22. The Examiner, after he has cited this Scholiast on Aristophanes, thus flourishes and insults; That very Scholiast, whom one would think the Doctor by his citing him so often, had thoroughly read.

1729.  Swift, To Delany, Wks. 1755, III. II. 233.

1816.  J. Gilchrist, Philosophic Etymology, p. xvii. Mr. Horne Tooke has flourished rather too much (for the lasting reputation of his research) about Gothic and Saxon.

1866.  Carlyle, Inaug. Addr., 9. There is such a thing as a man endeavouring to persuade himself, and endeavouring to persuade others, that he knows things, when he does not know more than the outside skin of them; and yet he goes flourishing about with them.

  c.  1563.  Foxe, A. & M., 1710/1. All the other Ladies of the court florished in their brauerye.

1611.  Bible, Song Sol. ii. 9. He looked forth at the window, shewing himself [marg. flourishing] through the lattice.

1750.  Warburton, Julian, Wks. (1811), VIII. 192. In the sale of his sacred wardrobe, a reverend Stole, interwoven with gold, and made yet more illustrious by the sanctity of its giver, Constantine the Great, came at length, in the ceaseless round of property, into the possession of a notorious prostitute, who flourished with it on the public stage.

  † 11.  a. trans. Of the sun: To shoot out (beams). b. intr. Of light. Obs.

1515.  The Scottish Field, 426, in Chetham Misc., II.

1587.  Golding, De Mornay, vi. 64. From thence there flourished a certeine holy brightnesse, which out of the Sand and the moyst nature brought foorth the Elements and all things els.

  † 12.  intr. To move with a flourish; to make sweeping movements; ‘to play in wanton and irregular motions’ (J.). Obs.

1728.  Pope, The Dunciad, II. 179.

1735.  Somerville, The Chace, II. 256.

  † 13.  Music and Fencing. To give a short fanciful exhibition by way of exercise before the real performance. To play, with a flourish. Also quasi-trans. To flourish out (notes). Obs.

1552.  Huloet, Florysh, as a maister of fence doth w^t weapon, or a musitian in syngyng, proludo.

1718.  Freethinker, No. 15, 12 May, ¶ 1. Musicians, before they begin to play, always flourish out some loose Notes, in the proper Key, to awaken and prepare the Ear.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., x. Instead therefore of finishing George’s shirts, we now had them new-modelling their old gauzes, or flourishing upon catgut.

1810.  James, Milit. Dict., To flourish, in a general musical acceptation of the term, is to play some prelude or preparatory air without any settled rule.

  b.  Of trumpets: To sound a flourish or fanfare.

1588.  Shaks., Tit. A., IV. ii. 49. Dem. Why do the Emperors trumpets flourish thus?

1706.  Addison, Rosamond, I. iv. Trumpets flourish.