Sekirov Dictionary

flower

UK /ˈflaʊ̯.ə/US /ˈflaʊ̯.ɚ/

noun 16
verb 5
/ˈfloʊɚ/ noun 1
forms 5
phrases 2

noun16

•
a part of a plant, often with bright colors, that helps it make new plants
- You know, Darwin studied their fertilisation, and showed that the whole structure of an ordinary orchid flower was contrived in order that moths might carry the pollen from plant to plant. — 1894
•
A colorful, conspicuous structure associated with angiosperms, frequently scented and attracting various insects, and which may or may not be used for sexual reproduction.
- O Laurinella! little dost thou wot / How fraile a flower thou dost so highly prize: / Beauty's the flower, but love the flower-pot / That must preserve it, els it quickly dyes. — 1653
•
The stem of a flowering plant with the blossom or blossoms attached, used for decoration, as a gift, etc.
- He always keeps a vase full of flowers in his office.
•
A plant that bears flowers, especially a plant that is small and lacks wood.
- We transplanted the flowers to a larger pot.
•
Of plants, a state of bearing blooms.
- The dogwoods are in flower this week.
•
The best state of things; the prime.
- She was in the flower of her life.
•
The best examples or representatives of a group.
- At Floddon hyllys, / Our bowys, our byllys / Slew all the floure / Of theyr honoure. — 1513
•
A delicate, fragile, or oversensitive person.
- […] she whispered leaning over and kissing her forehead; and then added, 'Mummy loves you, precious flower.' — 2015
•
[in the plural] (figurative) Credit, recognition.
- to get one's flowers
(slang) Cannabis.
•
(euphemistic) The vulva, especially the labia majora.
- [F]or still, that my virgin-flower was yet uncrop'd never once enter'd into his head, and he would have thought it idling with time and words to have question'd me upon it. — 1749
(literary) A figure of speech; an ornament of style.
•
Ornamental type used chiefly for borders around pages, cards, etc.
- I pointed out to the late Mr. Catherwood, of the firm of Caslon and Catherwood, the inconvenience of both these modes of cutting flowers, — 1841
•
[in the plural] A substance in the form of a powder, especially when condensed from sublimation.
- Exposed to a moderate fire in subliming pots, [brimstone] rises all into dry, and almost tasteless, flowers; whereas being exposed to a naked fire, it affords store of a saline and fretting liquor. — 1661
•
(no longer used) Flour.
- The Flovvers of Grains mix'd vvith VVater vvill make a sort of Glue. — 1731
•
[in the plural] (euphemistic, no longer used) Menstrual discharges.
- And if any man lye with her at all, and her flowers be vpon him, hee shall be vncleane seuen dayes: and all the bed whereon he lyeth, shall be vncleane. — 1611

verb5

•
To put forth blooms.
- This plant flowers in June.
•
To reach a state of full development or achievement.
- It only needed watering to take root, to flower and to fructify, and the watering came in due course. — 1940
To decorate with pictures of flowers.
•
To come off as flowers by sublimation.
- observations which have flowered off — 1644
•
(no longer used) To froth; to ferment gently, as new beer.
- That beer did flower a little. — 1627

flower

UK /ˈfləʊə/US /ˈfloʊɚ/

noun1

•
(rare) Something that flows, such as a river.
- Leaving the weavers’ village behind you, and crossing the sandy bed of the Vengavati or ‘Swift-flower,’ which, however, contained not a drop of water, you reach the ancient Jain temple. — 1886

forms

flowered · flowering · flowereth · flowers · flowerest

Phrases with flower

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