flourish
gb/flˈɚɪʃ/ us/flˈɚɪʃ/
B2
English
~ 7400
virágzik, felvirágzik, teátrális mozdulat, látványos gesztus, lobogtat, felmutat, cifrázat, díszítővonal, fanfár, virágkor, fénykor
VERB
B2
1
virágzik
B1
felvirágzik
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] flourishes (in/under [conditions])
Small tech companies can really flourish in this city.
A kis techcégek igazán virágozhatnak ebben a városban.
Her art career began to flourish after she moved online.
Miután átvitte a munkáját az online térbe, a művészi karrierje virágzásnak indult.
Wildflowers flourish in the fields every spring.
Democracy flourishes where people feel safe to speak openly.
The restaurant flourished under its new manager.
Learner examples
The new cafe is flourishing.
Az új kávézó nagyon jól megy.
Many plants flourish in warm weather.
Sok növény jól fejlődik meleg időben.
Her English has flourished this year.
The town flourished after the new road opened.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *flourish* as an adjective, saying *a flourish business* instead of *a flourishing business*. They may also confuse *flourish* with *decorate*; in this sense, *flourish* means to grow or succeed, not to make something look pretty.
Meaning
grow or develop very well
Collocations
businesses flourish
|a flourishing economy
|flourish in [an environment]
|allow [something] to flourish
|a flourishing career
|arts and culture flourish
Synonyms
thrive (Very close in meaning; often slightly more common for both people and businesses.)
|
prosper (Emphasizes financial or material success more than general growth.)
|
boom (Often used for rapid economic or business growth over a short period.)
Antonyms
decline (Describes a steady loss of strength, quality, or success.)
|
struggle (Highlights difficulty and lack of success, the opposite of flourishing easily.)
Themes
business
|society
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To grow or do very well, often for a long time.
To grow or develop in a strong, healthy, or successful way, especially over a period of time.
NOUN
B2
2
Usage pattern:
with a flourish
With a flourish, he signed his name at the bottom of the contract.
Teátrális mozdulattal írta alá a nevét a szerződés alján.
She opened the curtain with a grand flourish.
Nagy, teátrális mozdulattal húzta szét a függönyt.
The chef added a final flourish of herbs before serving the dish.
He produced the tickets with a little flourish to impress his friends.
The magician ended the trick with a confident flourish of his hand.
Learner examples
He ended his speech with a flourish.
Teátrális mozdulattal fejezte be a beszédét.
She put the plate on the table with a flourish.
Látványos mozdulattal tette a tányért az asztalra.
The waiter gave a small flourish with his hand.
The artist finished the painting with one last flourish.
Common mistake:
Learners may think *with a flourish* means *quickly* or *suddenly* only. It also suggests that the movement is big and meant to be noticed, not just fast.
Meaning
showy or dramatic movement
Collocations
with a flourish
|make a flourish
|a final flourish
|a dramatic flourish
|a theatrical flourish
Synonyms
gesture (More general; not always showy or dramatic like a flourish.)
|
dramatic move (Informal phrase that emphasizes the attention‑getting quality of the action.)
Antonyms
subtle movement (Stresses quiet, hardly noticeable action, the opposite of a flourish.)
Themes
performance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A big, fast, and showy movement that people notice.
A bold, showy movement or action, often made to attract attention or mark the beginning or end of something.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] flourishes [something]
He flourished the contract in front of the cameras.
Meglobogtatta a szerződést a kamerák előtt.
The champion flourished the trophy above her head.
A bajnok diadalmasan a feje fölé emelte a trófeát.
The actor flourished his hat and bowed deeply.
She flourished her passport at the border officer.
The knight flourished his sword before the duel.
Learner examples
He flourished the ticket in my face.
Az arcomba lobogtatta a jegyet.
The girl flourished her new phone for everyone to see.
A lány úgy mutogatta az új telefonját, hogy mindenki lássa.
The magician flourished the cards in one hand.
She flourished the letter to prove she was right.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *flourish* when they only mean *show* (for example, *He flourished his ID* when the action is simple and not dramatic). *Flourish* suggests a big, noticeable movement, not just holding something up normally.
Meaning
wave something in a showy way
Collocations
flourish a sword
|flourish a pen
|flourish a hand
|flourish a document
|flourish a victory sign
Synonyms
brandish (Often used for weapons and can sound more threatening than *flourish*.)
|
wave (More general; does not always suggest being dramatic or showy.)
|
flaunt (Focuses on showing something off proudly, not always with a physical swinging movement.)
Antonyms
hide (Means to keep something out of sight instead of waving it openly.)
Themes
performance
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To wave or show something in a big and dramatic way so people will see it.
To wave, hold up, or show something in a bold, noticeable, or dramatic way.
NOUN
B2
4
cifrázat
C1
díszítővonal
B2
Usage pattern:
[writing/design] with [decorative] flourishes
Her signature is full of loops and flourishes.
Az aláírása tele van hurkokkal és cifrázatokkal.
The designer added subtle flourishes to the logo.
A tervező finom díszítővonalakat adott a logóhoz.
The invitation used elegant calligraphic flourishes around the border.
He writes in a simple hand, with almost no flourishes.
The capital letters have long, sweeping flourishes.
Learner examples
Her name has many flourishes in the letters.
A nevének betűiben sok a cifrázat.
The artist drew small flourishes around the title.
A művész kis díszítővonalakat rajzolt a cím köré.
The card had gold flourishes in the corners.
He likes clean text with no flourishes.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with the verb *to flourish* meaning *to grow*. Here, *a flourish* is a thing you can see on paper or a screen, not an action.
Meaning
decorative curve in writing/design
Collocations
decorative flourishes
|ornamental flourishes
|calligraphic flourishes
|add a flourish
|flourishes on the letters
Synonyms
embellishment (General word for decoration; not limited to lines or curves.)
|
ornament (Can be any added decorative element, not just in writing.)
Antonyms
plain style (Describes design or writing without extra decoration.)
Themes
art
|writing
|design
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Definition
A fancy curved line or shape added to writing or a design to make it look pretty.
A curving or flowing decorative line or shape, especially in handwriting, typography, or graphic design.
NOUN
C1
5
fanfár
C1
Usage pattern:
a flourish of [instruments]
A flourish of trumpets announced the arrival of the guests.
A vendégek érkezését trombitafanfár jelezte.
The piece begins with a bold brass flourish.
A darab egy erőteljes rézfúvós fanfárral kezdődik.
The ceremony ended with a final flourish from the orchestra.
Learner examples
A flourish of trumpets started the show.
Trombitafanfár indította a műsort.
The music ends with a loud flourish.
A zene hangos fanfárral ér véget.
The band played a short flourish before the speech.
Meaning
short showy musical fanfare
Collocations
a flourish of trumpets
|trumpet flourish
|opening flourish
|a brass flourish
Synonyms
fanfare (Very close in this musical sense, but *fanfare* is generally more common and slightly broader.)
Antonyms
silence (The absence of any musical sound, contrasting with a loud flourish.)
Themes
music
|performance
|arts_entertainment
Definition
A short, loud piece of music, often on trumpets, used as a signal or to start something.
A short, loud, and often showy musical phrase, especially played on brass instruments as a signal or introduction.
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
6
Usage pattern:
in (full) flourish
The theater enjoyed a brief flourish in the 1990s.
A színház rövid virágkort élt meg az 1990-es években.
In the full flourish of her career, she performed in every major city.
Pályája virágkorában minden nagyvárosban fellépett.
The town experienced a cultural flourish after the new museum opened.
Learner examples
The company had a short flourish before it closed.
A vállalatnak rövid virágkora volt, mielőtt bezárt.
Artists in the city are now in a real flourish.
A város művészei most valódi virágkorukat élik.
He remembers the flourish of his youth.
Common mistake:
This sense is much less common than the verb *to flourish*. Learners may misunderstand it as the verb form; context usually shows it is a noun describing a period of time.
Meaning
time of strong success or growth
Collocations
in full flourish
|the flourish of youth
|a brief flourish
|the city’s cultural flourish
Synonyms
heyday (Very similar meaning; *heyday* is more common in everyday English.)
|
prime (Focuses on a person's best time rather than a general movement or activity.)
Antonyms
decline (Describes the downward phase instead of the peak period.)
Themes
history
|society
|business
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A time when someone or something is very active and successful.
A period or state in which someone or something is very successful, active, or at their best.
Grammar
Dictionary form
flourish
IPA
GB/flˈɚɪʃ/
US/flˈɚɪʃ/
Syllables & stress
flour - ish (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (flour)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: flourish
- Plural: flourishes
Verb
- Base: flourish
- 3rd Person Singular: flourishes
- Present Participle: flourishing
- Past: flourished
Word family
Forms
flourishes
noun
flourishing
verb
flourished
verb
Advanced or less common
flourishingly
adverb
Expressions
a flourish of trumpets
1/ə flˈɚɪʃ əv tɹˈʌmpəts/
fixed phrase
short trumpet fanfare
A short, loud sound from trumpets used as a signal or to mark the start of something.
Examples
- A flourish of trumpets welcomed the winner onto the stage.
- With a flourish of trumpets, the ceremony began.
- The scene ends with a flourish of trumpets from the orchestra pit.
in full flourish
1/ˈɪn fˈʊl flˈɚɪʃ/
fixed phrase
literary
at the height of growth or success
At a very high level of growth, activity, or success.
Examples
- The roses were in full flourish along the garden wall.
- Her imagination was in full flourish as she planned the story.
- The city’s nightlife is now in full flourish after years of quiet streets.
with a flourish
1/wˈɪθ ə flˈɚɪʃ/
fixed phrase
do something in a showy way
To do something with a big, dramatic movement so that people notice it.
Examples
- He placed the keys on the table with a flourish.
- She signed the contract with a flourish and smiled at the camera.
- The waiter pulled out the chair with a flourish, making everyone laugh.