overflourish

verb — 2 senses

overflourish

verb

Etymology From over- + flourish.

1

Obsolete To make excessive display or flourish of.

  • Men, like falle Glasses, generally represent their Complexion better than Nature has made it. And as they are likely to overflourish their own Case, ſo their Flattery is hardest to be discover'd .1697, Jeremy Collier, Essays upon Several Moral Subjects:
2

Obsolete To embellish with outward ornaments or flourishes; to varnish over.

  • the beauteous evil / Are empty trunks o'erflourished by the devilc. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:

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