▪ I. flourish, n.
(ˈflʌrɪʃ)
Forms: 6 florishe, (Sc. flureise, -ss, fleureis, flurish), 6–7 florish, 7 floorish, 7–8 flowrish, 6– flourish.
[f. next vb.]
1. The blossom or mass of flowers on a fruit-tree Also occas. in pl. Only Sc. and north dial.
| a 1500 Cokelbie Sow Proem. 42 A fair flureiss fadit in a falty tre. 1548 Compl. Scot. vi. 38 The borial blastis..hed chaissit the fragrant flureise of euyrie frute tree far athourt the feildis. a 1605 Montgomerie Misc. Poems xvii. 58 Beuties freshest florish. 1635 Rutherford Let. 22 Apr., There shall be fair white flourishes again, with most pleasant fruits. 1868 Atkinson Cleveland Gloss., Flourish, the blossom on fruit-trees. 1892 Boyd 25 Years St. Andrews II. xxi. 139 Finding some very fine ‘flourish’ in a dirty back-court. |
† b. pl. = flowers (see
flower n. 2 b).
| 1605 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iii. Lawe 85 Childe-great Women, or green Maydes (that misse Their Termes appointed for their flourishes). |
† 2. The state or condition of being in blossom, blossoming. Of vegetation: Luxuriant growth, luxuriance, greenness.
Obs.| 1594 J. Dickenson Arisbas (1878) 75 The roote whose moisture fed their flourish. 1619 Z. Boyd Battell Soul (1629) 1101 The tree is first seene in the budde and then in the flourish, and after in the frute. 1719 De Foe Crusoe I. 117 A constant Verdure, or Flourish of Spring. 1801 Southey Thalaba viii. xvii, In the flourish of its [vine's] outwardness Wasting the sap and strength. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxi, Fruit-trees, so many of which were at this time in flourish. |
b. fig. Prosperity, vigour; the ‘bloom’ (of youth). Also, the highest degree of prosperity; perfection, prime. Now
rare.
| 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 38 To be howld..wycked men to have the fayrest shew and greatest florishe. 1612 Brerewood Lang. & Relig. iii. 20 The Romans had generally (at least..in the flourish of the empire) great care to enlarge their tongue. 1665 Life Earl Essex in Select Harl. Misc. (1793) 157 The earl of Essex was then in the flourish of his youth. 1709 Hearne Collect. 27 Aug., The Foundation & Increase & Flourish of [the University]. 1826 Scott Woodst. xi, The flourish of his powerful relative's fortunes had burst forth in the finery of his dress. 1848 Thackeray Bk. Snobs iv, The Court Circular remains in full flourish. |
† 3. Ostentatious embellishment; gloss, varnish.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. iii. 238 Lend me the flourish of all gentle tongues. c 1600 ― Sonn. lx, Time doth transfixe the florish set on youth. c 1632 Crashaw Epitaph Mr. Herrys, The flourish of his sober youth, Was the pride of naked truth. |
† 4. A florid decoration; a piece of scroll-work, tracery, or the like.
Obs.| 1695 Phil. Trans. XIX. 154 An Octagonal Tower..beautified on the out-side with Florishes. 1721 Bailey, A flourish [in Architecture] is a Flower Work. 1764 Harmer Observ. iii. iv. 134 Cracknells are full of holes, being formed into a kind of flourish of lattice-work. |
| fig. 1675 Traherne Chr. Ethics xxviii. 443 Mistake not these things for arbitrary flourishes of luxuriant fancy. |
b. In
Penmanship, a decoration about a letter or writing, consisting of flowing curves executed with a sweep of the pen.
| 1652 H. More Antid. Ath. ii. vi. 68 They were intended onley for ludicrous ornaments of Nature, like the flourishes about a great letter that signify nothing. 1758 J. Blake Plan Mar. Syst. 8 In the middle of this sheet..let a flourish be printed, so that the sheet may be cut in two, indentwise. 1831 Lamb Let. to Dyer (1888) II. 268 By your flourishes, I should think you never learned to..flourish the governors' names in the writing-school. 1861 Sala Dutch Pict. 2 An original Rembrandt (with a flourish to the R). |
5. Literary or rhetorical embellishment; ambitious copiousness or amplification; parade of fine words or phrases; a florid expression.
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 74 By a flourish of fine words, they devise shifts [and] evasions. 1673 True Worship God 56 Those pleasing Varieties and Flourishes in Pulpit Harangues. 1708 Berkeley Commonpl. Bk. Wks. 1871 IV. 492, I abstain from all flourish and powers of words and figures. 1823 Scott Peveril xlvi, He commenced with a flourish about his sufferings for the Plot. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. App. 542 These unusual phrases are clearly mere flourishes. |
† b. A boast, brag.
Obs.| 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 44 All your..flourish made of your company, their reputation, your civilitie. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Flourish..a Vaunt, Boast, or Brag. |
6. An ostentatious waving about of a weapon or anything else held in the hand; a showy movement of the body or limbs.
| 1601 Cornwallyes Ess. xii, Like seeming Fencers wee are meeter for a flourish, then defence. 1713 Steele Guardian No. 50 ¶2 Before he applied his weapon to my chin, he gave me a flourish with it. 1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 167 It would splint him..if the Rider were to make his Flourishes upon his Back like a Rope-dancer. 1840 F. D. Bennett Whaling Voy. I. 142 A few..musicians embellish their performance with a flourish of the fingers. 1859 Dickens T. Two Cities i. v, The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. |
| fig. 1777 A. Hamilton Wks. (1886) VII. 510 Their flourishes in the Jerseys, I believe, cannot have cost them less than six or seven hundred men. |
b. esp. A graceful brandishing of the weapon by way of salute or display at the beginning of a fencing match.
† Hence
fig. a prolusion, ornamental preamble; a piece of compliment or display preliminary to serious business or discussion. (
Cf. 7 c.)
| 1552 Huloet, Florysh, proludium. 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. xviii. 44 That was but a florish of the sovereintie promised to Christ. 1593 R. Harvey Philad. 2 This is your florish, to no purpose, then to shew reading. a 1626 Bacon Ess., Fame (Arb.) 579 This is a flourish: There follow excellent Parables. 1826 Scott Woodst. xxviii, Ere they had done more than salute each other, with the usual courteous flourish of their weapons. |
7. Music.
a. A fanfare (of horns, trumpets, etc.),
esp. to announce the approach of a person of distinction.
| 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iv. iv. 148 A flourish, Trumpets! strike Alarum, Drummes! 1609 Heywood Lucrece v. i, A flourish with drums and trumpets. 1712 Philips Distressed Mother iv. i, A flourish of trumpets. 1788 C. Reeve Exiles II. 127 Two trumpeters..blew a flourish, and the herald gave his challenge. 1813 Ann. Reg. 52 The Duke of York gave the toast; it was announced from the head of the table by a flourish of trumpets. 1814 Scott Wav. xlv, When Waverley reached that part of the column which was filled by the clan of Mac-Ivor, they..received him with a triumphant flourish upon the bagpipes. 1868 Regul. & Ord. Army ¶58 In corps not having a band, the bugles or trumpets will sound the flourish. |
| fig. 1884 J. A. H. Murray 13th Presid. Addr. in Trans. Philol. Soc. 516 Friends, who..send..with a flourish of trumpets to Notes and Queries. |
b. A florid passage; a florid style of composition; a decorative addition introduced by player or singer. Also, ‘the execution of profuse but unmeaning ornamentation in music’ (Stainer and Barrett).
| 1646 Crashaw Poems, Musick's Duell 137 The Lute's light Genius now does proudly rise, Heav'd on the surges of swolne Rapsodyes. Whose flourish, (Meteor-like) doth curle the aire With flash of high-borne fancyes. 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) I. p. v, Such are not judges of the fine flowrishes of new musick imported from Italy. 1823 Crabb Technol. Dict., Flourish..the decorative notes which a singer, or instrumental performer, adds sometimes to a passage. |
c. A short extemporized sequence of notes sounded as a prelude at the beginning of a piece of music.
Cf. 6 b.
| 1706 A. Bedford Temple Mus. ix. 191 Each Side might begin with a different Flourish. 1876 Stainer & Barrett Dict. Mus. Terms, Flourish..The preparatory cadenza for ‘tuning the voice’, in which singers formerly indulged just before commencing their song. |
| transf. 1850 W. Irving Knickerb. iv. ii. 117 He preluded his address by a sonorous blast of the nose; a preliminary flourish much in vogue among public orators. |
▪ II. flourish, v. (
ˈflʌrɪʃ)
pa. tense and pple. flourished. Forms: 3–4
floris(e, (4
floryse,
fluris), 4
florisse, 4–5
florysse,
floresshe,
florische, (4
flurshe,
fluri(s)che,
flors(c)he, 5
floresche,
florche), 4–6
florisshe,
-yssh(e, 4–7
florish(e, (6
floorish), 5–6
florys(c)h(e, 6
Sc. flures,
-eis,
-is,
flwreis, 4–6
flourishe, (4
flouresshe), 5–6
flourysshe, (5
flowrysche, 6
flourys(c)h, 7
flowrish), 4–
flourish.
[a. OF. floriss- lengthened stem of florir (mod.F. fleurir) = Pr. florir, It. fiorire:—vulgar L. type *flōrīre, f. flōr-, flōs, flower. The intr. senses represent those of L. flōrēre, which like many other vbs. in -ēre passed into the -īre conjugation in Romanic.] I. intr. To blossom, thrive.
† 1. Of a plant or tree: To blossom, flower.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 21701 (Gött.) Þar florist ane [wand] als ȝe haue herd. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶43 To smelle the sote savour of the vyne whanne it florissheth. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. 36 The crowne began to florysshe & a meruayllous swete odour yssued out of the floures. 1578 Lyte Dodoens ii. xx. 170 It beginneth to floure at the toppe of the stalke, and so goeth florishing downewarde. |
b. To throw out leaves and shoots; to shoot forth; to grow vigorously and luxuriantly. Now only with mixture of sense 4.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 905 Here vynys florshede feyre and weyl. 1382 Wyclif Ezek. xvii. 24 Y made the drye tree for to florisshe. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. (1586) 25 b, In hotte Countreys later, least they shoulde florishe before the Winter, and be.. blasted. 1727 Broome Seat of War in Flanders 157 Poems 76 Pallas with her Javelin smote the Ground, And peaceful Olives flourish'd from the Wound. 1784 Cowper Task iii. 571 The spiry myrtle with unwithering leaf Shines there and flourishes. 1877 Huxley Physiogr. xiii. 212 As these trees do not grow in water, it is evident that the land on which they flourished has been depressed. |
c. fig.| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 725 Arely a man passes als þe gres, He floresshe and passes away. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. xxv, Euery lusty herte that is in ony maner a louer spryngeth and floryssheth in lusty dedes. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 74 Flourysshe the forenoone neuer so fresshe, at the last commeth the euentyde. a 1586 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxvii. 68 Bakbyttaris..flwreis sone, but forder fructe þai faill. 1611 Bible Isa. lxvi. 14 Your bones shall flourish like an herbe. |
2. gen. To thrive.
a. Of persons: To prosper, do well.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter Cant. 518 Whare ere þai now all bicumyn þat florysst in þis warlde? 1572 Forrest Theophilus 697 in Anglia VII, Florishinge more then anye queene heere. 1670 R. Coke Disc. Trade 60 We flourish in the French Trade. 1704 Nelson Compan. Festiv. & Fasts xxiv. 255 Bad Men as frequently prosper and flourish. 1833 H. Martineau Brooke Farm iii. 31 Men who were starving on land of their own, are now flourishing on the wages I give them. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Libr. (1892) I. vi. 233 Tartufe..flourishes and thrives. |
b. Of things (
e.g. art, science, an institution): To attain full development; to be prosperous or successful, be in vogue; to have many followers or patrons.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 6233 Men may in secular clothes see Florisshen holy religioun. 1504 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione i. xviii. 166 The holy sayntes..in whom florysshed the perfeccyon of all relygyon. 1571 Digges Pantom., Math. Disc. Pref. T j, Where such sciences firste tooke their originall, and in what languages and countreys they chieflye florished. 1649 Bp. Reynolds Hosea v. 47 The way for the church to prosper and florish. 1754 Sherlock Disc. (1759) I. iv. 144 When Science flourished in the East. 1885 Law Times LXXIX. 130/1 The poor law system..has flourished for over three centuries. |
† 3. To thrive, display vigour
in,
of,
with (something specified); also, to abound
in, overflow
with.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 21222 (Cott.) Barnabas..In vertuz florisand sa fele. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 96 Men þat shulden florishe in vertues. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 795 Those dayis quhen so thay [the Prelatis] flurisit in fame. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 175 Cambridge, a Universitie florishing with al kind of good letters. 1628 Hobbes Thucyd. (1822) 1 They flourished..in all manner of provision. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. Ded. A ij, An age that flourishes with Pens, and Criticks. 1726 Leoni Alberti's Archit. II. 4/1 Greece..flourishing in excellent geniusses. |
4. To be at the height of fame or excellence; to be in one's bloom or prime. Also in weaker sense, used in
pa. tense of a person to indicate that his life and activity belong to a specified period (
cf. floruit).
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 173 In his tyme Plautus Latinus..florischeþ at Rome. 1550 Veron Godly Sayings A ij, Origene..did florysshe in the yere of our lorde cc.lxi. 1661 Bramhall Just Vind. i. 3 His most renowned Ancestours..flourished whilest Popery was in its Zenith. 1700 Dryden Pref. Fables (Globe) 494 Spenser and Fairfax both flourished in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 189 James flourished nearly about the time of Chaucer and Gower. 1855 Tennyson Brook 11 In our schoolbooks we say, Of those that held their heads above the crowd, They flourish'd then or then. |
II. To adorn.
† 5. trans. To adorn with flowers or verdure; to cause to bloom or thrive.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 16860 (Cott.) Þe rode it was wit leif and barc florist ful selcuthli. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 69 Feldis florist ar with flowris. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 78 God..Hath florisshed the erthe on every side..Withe grete habundaunce of vyridite. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xlvi. 21 Fresche Flora hes flurest every spray. 1716 Fenton Ode to Ld. Gower Poems (1717) 219 With shadowy verdure flourish'd high, A sudden youth the Groves enjoy. |
| fig. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. xxv, Lete euery man of worship florysshe his herte in this world. c 1614 J. Davies Scourge of Folly To Earle Pembrooke, Wks. (Grosart) 52/1 But when the sonne of fauor shines on mee My May may then haue Might to flourish thee. |
† b. Cookery. To ornament, garnish (a dish).
| ? c 1390 Form of Cury in Warner Antiq. Culin. 13 Take brede..Florish it with white coliandre in confyt. c 1430 Two Cookery-bks. i. 30 Florche it a-bouyn with Pome⁓garned. 1502 Arnolde Chron. (1811) 239 Storke roosted, pecoke florisshed, carpe in soppis. |
† 6. gen. To adorn, decorate, embellish, ornament. Also with
out,
over,
up.
Obs.| c 1325 Coer de L. 1842 Six stages ful of towrelles, Wel flourished with cornelles. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 771 Hys feete ware floreschede alle in fyne sabylle. 1489–99 Inscription Holloway Chapel, Widcome, nr. Bath in Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 409 Thys chapill floryschyd with formosyte spectabyll..prior Cantlow had edyfyd. 1581 G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iii. (1586) 125 Those which florish up themselves by arte. 1590 Greene Never too late Wks. (Grosart) VIII. 194 Her face full of chast colours: such as florish out the fronts of Dianas virgins. 1608 Topsell Serpents 738 Their skin seemeth to be flourished with certain pictures. 1611 Coryat Crudities 145 Sixe very precious sockets..flowrished ouer with a triple gilting. a 1716 South Serm. (1744) X. 56 This would make him begin to..try the foundation before he flourished the superstructure. |
| fig. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 294 Þe fierthe [pouerte] is a fortune þat florissheth þe soule Wyth sobrete fram al synne. 1587 Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1323/1 Deceipt [sheweth] finest when he is cunninglie florished. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. i. 75 The Iustice of your title to him Doth flourish the deceit. |
b. To embellish or ornament (a book, writing, etc.) with ‘flourishes’ (see
flourish n. 4 b).
† In early use also: To illuminate; to adorn with colour or decorative designs of any kind.
Obs.| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 167/2 Floryschen bokys, floro. 1573 Art of Limning 5 With this [turnesoll] you may flourishe redde letters, or vestures. 1679–88 Secr. Serv. Money Chas. II & Jas. II (Camden) 55 Gideon Roger, for writing and flourishing, partly in gold, a letter to the Emperor of Fez. |
| absol. 1660 G. Tomlyn's Patent No. 128 A way to text and flourish in velams and parchment. |
† 7. To embellish (a narration, etc.) with flowers of speech; to ornament or set off with fine words or phrases; to express in flowery language.
Obs.| 13.. Minor P. fr. Vernon MS. lii. 496 Þeiȝ þis tale beo florisshed with faire flour. 1494 Fabyan Chron. 3 So haue I nowe sette out this rude werke..That the lerned and the studyed clerke May..Flowrysshe it with Eloquence. 1540 Elyot Image Gov. Pref. (1556) 3 Desiryng more to make it playne to all readers, than to flourishe it with over muche eloquence. 1631 Shirley Love in Maze iii. iii, You have..Wanted no art to flourish your warm passion. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 63 Which Argument is further flourisht and descanted upon in this manner. 1691 ‘G. D'Emilianne’ Frauds Rom. Monks 177 The Catechizer flourish'd his Discourse with Circumstances so extravagant [etc.]. |
b. intr. ‘To use florid language; to speak with ambitious copiousness and elegance’ (J.); to descant floridly
on or
upon. Also with
away.
| 1700 T. Baker Reflect. Learning iv. (ed. 2) 32/2 Whilst he [Cicero] acts the part of the Rhetorician, he dilates and flourishes, and gives Example instead of Rule. 1725 Watts Logic iv. i. 518 They dilate sometimes, and flourish long upon little Incidents, and they skip over and but lightly touch the drier Part of their Theme. 1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 435 They are often misled, by a desire of flourishing on the several properties of a metaphor. 1858 Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. II. lxxxi. 41 Another flourishes away upon the assertion that the French Emperor was chosen by the Ballot. |
† 8. trans. a. To lay (one tint)
upon (another) by way of ornament;
b. to work up ornamentally.
| a 1592 Greene Opharion Wks. (Grosart) XII. 70 Touching the faultles mixture of vermillion flourisht vpon Iuory. a 1626 Bacon War w. Spain (1629) 3 Bottomes of threed close wound vp, which with a good needle..may be flourished into large workes. |
III. To display ostentatiously.
9. To brandish (a weapon, etc.); to wave about by way of show or triumph. Also, to move (the limbs) vigorously.
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Macc. xi. 8 An horsman apeeride goynge byfore hem..florishynge a shaft. 1388 ― Ps. vii. 13 If ȝe ben not conuertid, he schal florische his swerd. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. i. 85 Old Mountague..flourishes his Blade in spight of me. 1646 Crashaw Sospetto d'Herode xxxiii, All the Powers of Hell in full applause Flourisht their snakes. 1820 Scott Ivanhoe II. iii. 45 Anon, balancing his expanded palms, he gently flourished them in time to the music. 1831 T. L. Peacock Crotchet Castle viii. 144 He began mechanically to flourish his bamboo. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xxi, Richard Swiveller..looking at the dwarf..as he flourished his arms and legs about. |
† b. absol. Obs.| 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. i. i. 311 Goe giue that changing peece, To him that flourisht for her with his sword. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves i. xxxviii. 63 Whosoever will jest, should be like him that flourishes at a show: he may turn his weapon any way. 1690 W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., To flourish is one thing, to fight another. |
c. intr. Of a weapon (or the like): To be brandished or waved about.
| 1388 Wyclif Job xxxix. 23 A spere and scheeld schal florische. 1773 H. Luson in Duncombe's Lett. II. App. xlviii, All this while the cane kept flourishing over Jerry's head. |
10. a. trans. To display, make a display or parade of.
b. intr. ‘To boast, brag’ (J.); to talk big; to ‘swagger’, ‘show off’; also with
about,
off.
† c. To exhibit oneself conspicuously, make a flourish or parade.
Obs.| a. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 341 Summe florishen oþer names & seien þat he [the pope] is moost blissed fader. 1592 Greene Disput. 6 Your sugred words, that you florish rethorically like nettes to catch fooles. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 93 He..florisht his colours in signe of victory, and as a call to Abdulchan to second him. 1755 Scott Dict., To Flourish Colours [in military affairs] is to display them. |
| b. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 159 If any man think to come flourishing off with this. 1699 Bentley Phal. Introd. 22 The Examiner, after he has cited this Scholiast on Aristophanes, thus flourishes. 1729 Swift To Delany Wks. 1755 III. ii. 233 To flourish o'er a cup of gin. 1816 J. Gilchrist Philos. Etym. p. xvii, Mr. Horne Tooke has flourished rather too much about Gothic and Saxon. 1866 Carlyle Inaug. Addr. 9 He goes flourishing about with them. |
| c. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 1710/1 All the other Ladies of the court florished in their brauerye. 1611 Bible Song. Sol. ii. 9 He looked forth at the window, shewing himself [marg. flourishing] through the lattice. 1750 Warburton Julian Wks. 1811 VIII. 192 A reverend Stole..came..into the possession of a notorious prostitute, who flourished with it on the public stage. |
† 11. a. trans. Of the sun: To shoot
out (beams).
b. intr. Of light.
Obs.| 1515 Scot. Field 427 in Chetham Misc. II, Phebus full faire florished out his beames. 1587 Golding De Mornay vi. 64 From thence there flourished a certeine holy brightnesse. |
† 12. intr. To move with a flourish; to make sweeping movements; ‘to play in wanton and irregular motions’ (J.).
Obs.| 1728 Pope Dunc. ii. 180 Impetuous spread The stream, and, smoaking, flourish'd o'er his head. 1735 Somerville Chase ii. 256 They're check'd—hold back with speed—on either Hand They flourish round. |
† 13. Music and
Fencing. To give a short fanciful exhibition by way of exercise before the real performance. To play, with a flourish. Also
quasi-trans. to flourish out (notes).
Obs.| 1552 Huloet, Florysh, as a maister of fence doth w{supt} weapon, or a musitian in syngyng, proludo. 1718 Freethinker No. 15 ¶1 Musicians, before they begin to play, always flourish out some loose Notes. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. x, Instead..of finishing George's shirts, we now had them..flourishing upon catgut. 1810 James Milit. Dict., To flourish..is to play some prelude or preparatory air without any settled rule. |
b. Of trumpets: To sound a flourish or fanfare.
| 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. iv. ii. 49 Why do the Emperors trumpets flourish thus? 1706 Addison Rosamond i. iv, Trumpets flourish. |