What is "flourished"

Flourish \Flour"ish\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flourished; p. pr. & vb. n. Flourishing.] [OE. florisshen, flurisshen, OF. flurir, F. fleurir, fr. L. florere to bloom, fr. flos, floris, flower. See Flower, and -ish.]

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.
   --Pope.

vb. (en-past of: flourish)