thrive

From Middle English thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”) (Swedish trivas), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”).

• IPA^(key): /θɹaɪv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪv

thrive (third-person singular simple present thrives, present participle thriving, simple past throve or thrived, past participle thriven or thrived)

1. To grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly, to flourish.

   Not all animals thrive well in captivity.

   to thrive upon hard work

   • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Chapter 16,

     “It seems to me, reverend father,” said the knight, “that the small morsels which you eat, together with this holy, but somewhat thin beverage, have thriven with you marvellously.”

   • 1855, Robert Browning, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”, X:

     So, on I went. I think I never saw / Such starved ignoble nature; nothing throve: / For flowers - as well expect a cedar grove!

   • 1941, Emily Carr, Klee Wyck, Chapter 3,

     The growing things jumbled themselves together into a dense thicket; so tensely earnest were things about growing in Skedans that everything linked with everything else, hurrying to grow to the limit of its own capacity; weeds and weaklings alike throve in the rich moistness.

2. To increase in wealth or success; to prosper, be profitable.

   Since expanding in June, the business has really thrived.

   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant Of Venice, Act II Scene 7

     [...] Deliver me the key.

     Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!

   • 2012 April 29, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎:

     Though they obviously realized that these episodes were part of something wonderful and important and lasting, the writers and producers couldn’t have imagined that 20 years later “Treehouse Of Horror” wouldn’t just survive; it’d thrive as one of the most talked-about and watched episodes of every season of The Simpsons.

• See also Thesaurus:prosper

• riveth