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Glite Dictionary
🌱 To grow well 💫 A showy gesture 🏳️ To wave showily 🎺 A short fanfare ✒️ A decorative stroke
to flourish

to flourish

5 4.9
To wave something in a dramatic way to attract attention
  • verb
  • /ˈflʌrɪʃ/
translation icon : agitar
  • "Here's the sketch of that frieze you asked for," the young artist began, flourishing his sketchbook.
  • flourish both hands
  • flourish a sword
  • flourish a knife

Examples

  • Before practical swordplay developed into a gentlemen's ritual of single dueling, masters of defense flourished across Europe.

    Reclaiming the Blade (2009)

  • "Verna," she said, briefly flourishing the bottle, "this wasn't necessary—my mind was already made up."

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The card had his name printed on it in flourished letters.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Three soldiers immediately before us flourished their swords in the air.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Then he flourished the baton, and they began to play.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Two rows of swords are pulled and flourished into the air!

    Fiction book (2002)

  • "Look what I've brought you," Lavinia said, flourishing her Zabar's bags.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • She flourished her scarf as she walked into the room, drawing everyone's attention.

  • The magician flourished his wand dramatically before performing the next trick.

  • During the performance, the dancer flourished her arms to enhance the beauty of the movement.

Synonyms

to wave
vsto flourish
584 1.0

To move your hand back and forth to greet or get attention

is a more showy, dramatic swing to draw attention rather than a simple signal
to show off
vsto flourish
  • Informal
216 3.2

To act proudly to get attention or praise

is a dramatic physical movement to gain attention rather than proud behavior
to flaunt
vsto flourish
62 5.7

To show something in a very obvious way to get attention

is a dramatic gesture with motion aimed to attract attention not just display goods
to parade
vsto flourish
47 3.9

To walk or behave to show off and attract attention

is a showy hand or object movement rather than a whole body public display
to brandish
vsto flourish
28 7.5

To wave a weapon to threaten or frighten someone

is a dramatic, showy wave meant to attract attention not to threaten

Idioms

with a flourish
6 5.7

Do something in a showy way to get attention

How Showy

to brandish
28 7.5
to flourish
5 4.9
to wave
64 1.0
to flick
60 2.3

Surface Forms

flourish infinitive
flourished past
flourished past participle
flourishing present participle
flourishes third person singular

Morphology

flourish = flower (transparent) = flour + ish

The showy, sweeping-movement sense of 'flourish' can be seen as derived from the notion of 'flowering' or spreading out, so learners familiar with 'flower' can often infer this sense.

Etymology

The word flourish comes from the Latin root florere, which means 'to bloom', and is the same root as flower. To flourish something, like a flag or a sword, is to wave it in a showy, 'blooming' way to get attention, which is why we call dramatic waves flourishes.