flourish

verb

/ˈflʌrɪʃ/

/ˈflɜːrɪʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they flourish	/ˈflʌrɪʃ/ /ˈflɜːrɪʃ/
he / she / it flourishes	/ˈflʌrɪʃɪz/ /ˈflɜːrɪʃɪz/
past simple flourished	/ˈflʌrɪʃt/ /ˈflɜːrɪʃt/
past participle flourished	/ˈflʌrɪʃt/ /ˈflɜːrɪʃt/
-ing form flourishing	/ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋ/ /ˈflɜːrɪʃɪŋ/

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[intransitive] to develop quickly and become successful or common synonym thrive
- Few businesses are flourishing in the present economic climate.
- The arts began to flourish at that time.
- There was a flourishing black market.
Extra Examples
- The company has continued to flourish over the years.
- His international career has flourished under captain James Murray.
- Olten is a lively and flourishing town.
- The town still flourishes as a fishing port.
- Their relationship flourished for forty years.
- This tradition of singing is flourishing.
Topics Successc1
[intransitive] to grow well; to be healthy and happy synonym thrive
- These plants flourish in a damp climate.
- (especially British English) I'm glad to hear you're all flourishing.
- I hope the grandchildren are flourishing.
Topics Feelingsc1, Health and Fitnessc1
[transitive] flourish something to wave something around in a way that makes people look at it
- He rushed into the room flourishing the newspaper.

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French floriss-, lengthened stem of florir, based on Latin florere, from flos, flor- ‘a flower’. The noun senses ‘ornamental curve’ and ‘florid expression’ come from an obsolete sense of the verb, ‘adorn’ (originally with flowers).

flourish

noun

/ˈflʌrɪʃ/

/ˈflɜːrɪʃ/

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[usually singular] an exaggerated movement that you make when you want somebody to notice you
- He opened the door for her with a flourish.
- With a final flourish she laid down her pen.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- final
- dramatic
- rhetorical
- …
verb + flourish
- add
- end in
- end with
- …
preposition
- with a flourish
See full entry
[usually singular] an impressive act or way of doing something
- The season ended with a flourish for Kane, when he scored in the final minute of the match.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- final
- dramatic
- rhetorical
- …
verb + flourish
- add
- end in
- end with
- …
preposition
- with a flourish
See full entry
a detail or decoration that is used in speech or writing
- a speech full of rhetorical flourishes
- His writing is plain and direct, with no stylistic flourishes.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- final
- dramatic
- rhetorical
- …
verb + flourish
- add
- end in
- end with
- …
preposition
- with a flourish
See full entry
a curved line that is used as decoration, especially in writing
- Her signature was a complicated affair of practised flourishes.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- final
- dramatic
- rhetorical
- …
verb + flourish
- add
- end in
- end with
- …
preposition
- with a flourish
See full entry
[usually singular] a loud short piece of music that is usually played to announce an important person or event
- a flourish of trumpets