Flour·ish v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flourished p. pr. & vb. n. Flourishing.]
 1. To grow luxuriantly; to increase and enlarge, as a healthy growing plant; a thrive.
    A tree thrives and flourishes in a kindly . . . soil.   --Bp. Horne.
 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.   --Ps. xcii 7
    Bad men as frequently prosper and flourish, and that by the means of their wickedness.   --Nelson.
 We say
 Of those that held their heads above the crowd,
 They flourished then or then.   --Tennyson.
 3. To use florid language; to indulge in rhetorical figures and lofty expressions; to be flowery.
    They dilate . . . and flourish long on little incidents.   --J. Watts.
 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.   --Pope.
 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?   --Shak.
 7. To boast; to vaunt; to brag.