Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
flourishing
English answer:
to display ostentatiously.
Added to glossary by
Stephanie Ezrol
Dec 9, 2009 09:04
14 yrs ago
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English term
flourishing
English
Other
Religion
Book for Sunday School teachers
See Daniel chapters 3 & 4
Drifting back into pride. Nebuchadnezzar, after the three men had come out of the furnace, unsinged and not even smelling of fire, he acknowledged the greatness of their God. But there is no sign that he really humbled himself and turned to God. He simply decided to be more reasonable to the Jews.
Warn your class that it is possible for people to become 'religious' without truly becoming Christians. People may even boast of their interest in religion, but unless they are really converted, their pride will continue to grow. Its growth may be halted temporaly, but soon the old self-confidence, self-admiration and ingratitude to God will crreep up. We read that before long Nebuchadnezzar was ***flourishing*** in his palace.
Does the fact of 'being flourishing' imply any prideful attitude in him? Or it just means that he was prosperous?
Drifting back into pride. Nebuchadnezzar, after the three men had come out of the furnace, unsinged and not even smelling of fire, he acknowledged the greatness of their God. But there is no sign that he really humbled himself and turned to God. He simply decided to be more reasonable to the Jews.
Warn your class that it is possible for people to become 'religious' without truly becoming Christians. People may even boast of their interest in religion, but unless they are really converted, their pride will continue to grow. Its growth may be halted temporaly, but soon the old self-confidence, self-admiration and ingratitude to God will crreep up. We read that before long Nebuchadnezzar was ***flourishing*** in his palace.
Does the fact of 'being flourishing' imply any prideful attitude in him? Or it just means that he was prosperous?
Change log
Dec 14, 2009 23:47: Stephanie Ezrol Created KOG entry
Responses
4 hrs
Stephanie Ezrol
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United States
French to English, English to English
Native in: English
Works in: English, French to English, French Middle (ca.1400-1600) to English
Related KudoZ points
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16
Selected
to display ostentatiously
From Funk 7 Wagnall's Standard College Dictionary. 1966
#8 in 9 definitions: "to display ostentatiously; flaunt"
So I think you are dealing with an older and less used meaning which definitely means he was being prideful.
Both ostentatious and flaunt always imply boastful. Flourish in this case is also similar to, 'the music ends with a flourish."
In one performance of Shakespeare's Richard III -- the sentence is below -- the musical flourish is used to underscore the pridefullness which will mark the doom of Richard.
#8 in 9 definitions: "to display ostentatiously; flaunt"
So I think you are dealing with an older and less used meaning which definitely means he was being prideful.
Both ostentatious and flaunt always imply boastful. Flourish in this case is also similar to, 'the music ends with a flourish."
In one performance of Shakespeare's Richard III -- the sentence is below -- the musical flourish is used to underscore the pridefullness which will mark the doom of Richard.
Example sentence:
The music ends with a flourish and the Royals settle in their seats. The whole company turns toward RICHARD, as he clears his throat and scratches the mesh of the singer's microphone.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks"
+3
10 mins
Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Japan
Japan
Scientia est potentia
Native in: Japanese 
Works in: English to Japanese, German to Japanese, Italian to Japanese, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
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31
thriving
Nebuchadnezzar was thriving and displaying old-self confidence, self-admiration, ingratitude to God and his pride growing in his palace. Nebuchadnezzar was a good (bad) example of these characteristics.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mark Nathan
: Not that keen on "thriving" but would tend towards this interpretation because of the "before long" - implying an example of pride that had been halted only temporarily.
13 mins
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Thank you Mark
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Liam Hamilton
3 hrs
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Thank you Liam
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| agree |
Rolf Keiser
1 day 4 hrs
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Thank you Goldcoaster
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+3
11 mins
prosperous, prospering.
We read that before long Nebuchadnezzar was ***flourishing*** (prosperous) in his palace.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Armorel Young
7 mins
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Thank you Mr Young
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| agree |
Jack Doughty
24 mins
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Thank You Sir Doughty
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| agree |
Patricia Townshend (X)
21 hrs
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Thank You Ms. Townshend
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30 mins
does imply a wrong attitude
The author is referring to Daniel 4:4 in the AV. The word used in the original Aramaic comes from a root meaning 'green, verdant', hence 'flourishing' or 'prosperous'. However, the author is drawing attention to the fact that although king Nebuchadnezzar was living comfortably, he was doing this without God in his life, without acknowledging Him, being thankful to Him or depending upon Him - in short, as you suggest, an attitude of pride. This view is confirmed by the judgment which falls upon the king in chapter 4.
3 hrs
reaching the high point/peak as king
- Oxford Dictionary definition of flourish:
At the height of one's career during a specific period.
- The online WordWeb describes the verb flourish as:
2. Make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance
So my interpretation is that "before long King Nebuchadnezzar was reaching a high point as king at that period in time.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-12-09 12:38:30 GMT)
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The sentence says "before long Nebuchadnezzar was flourishing.
I think the meaning of flourishing includes the words "thriving" and "prospering" that Yasutomo and kolya mention, but I believe, in this case, that it encompasses the larger definition of "arriving at the height of his being king."
At the height of one's career during a specific period.
- The online WordWeb describes the verb flourish as:
2. Make steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance
So my interpretation is that "before long King Nebuchadnezzar was reaching a high point as king at that period in time.
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Note added at 3 hrs (2009-12-09 12:38:30 GMT)
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The sentence says "before long Nebuchadnezzar was flourishing.
I think the meaning of flourishing includes the words "thriving" and "prospering" that Yasutomo and kolya mention, but I believe, in this case, that it encompasses the larger definition of "arriving at the height of his being king."
6 hrs
Kimberlee Thorne
United States
United States
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
United States
Small World Language Services
Native in: English (Variant: US)
Works in: Spanish to English, Portuguese to English, English to Spanish, and 4 more.
jeering/ridiculing/mocking or acting in a vulgar manner
From your context, the idea of "prospering" is incorrect. The idea is that he was publicly mocking or making fun of anything godly. He most likely, as the scriptures say, "had given into drunkenness", and partying, actingly uncontrollably, and surely he was making a fool of himself.
Thus, he was ridiculing the teachings of God's followers. The idea is that he'd ignored the heedings of the prophets, and was "living for the moment, since tomorrow he'd die". That's the idea. So he'd make the most of today and have a great time, since he wasn't converted.
You have a few options to go on here. Good luck!
Thus, he was ridiculing the teachings of God's followers. The idea is that he'd ignored the heedings of the prophets, and was "living for the moment, since tomorrow he'd die". That's the idea. So he'd make the most of today and have a great time, since he wasn't converted.
You have a few options to go on here. Good luck!
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