1.To grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant; a thrive. "A tree thrives and flourishes in a kindly... soil."
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. "When all the workers of iniquity do flourish." "Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the means of their wickedness." "We say Of those that held their heads above the crowd, They flourished then or then."
3.To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions; to be flowery. "They dilate... and flourish long on little incidents."
4.To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way of ornament, parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion. "Impetuous spread The stream, and smoking flourished o'er his head."
5.To make ornamental strokes with the pen; to write graceful, decorative figures.
6.To execute an irregular or fanciful strain of music, by way of ornament or prelude. "Why do the emperor's trumpets flourish thus?"
7.To boast; to vaunt; to brag.
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