From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishldoce_112_hflowerflow‧er1 /ˈflaʊə $ -ər/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1 DNa coloured or white part that a plant or tree produces before fruit or seeds → floral a lovely rose bush with delicate pink flowers fields full of beautiful wild flowers2 
DNa small plant that produces beautiful flowers He wasn’t interested in growing flowers in the garden. She bent down and picked a flower.bunch/bouquet of flowers The first night we met he gave me a bunch of flowers. a beautiful flower arrangement (=flowers arranged together in an attractive way)3 → in flower4 → the flower of somethingCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + flowerlovely/pretty/beautiful They admired the lovely flowers in the garden.delicate The plant produces delicate purple flowers.rare A number of rare flowers grow in these woods.dead There were dead flowers in a vase of green water.artificial a basket of artificial flowersa wild flowerThe meadows were covered with wild flowers.a garden flowerDahlias have become one of the best loved garden flowers.an exotic flowerWe grow exotic flowers from all over the world.a spring/summer/autumn/winter flowerThe mountainsides were blanketed with spring flowers.cut flowersMake cut flowers last longer by changing the water in the vase.dried flowersShe had brightened up the room with a vase of dried flowers.a silk flowerShe wore a huge silk flower in her hair.verbsflowers growFlowers were growing along the side of the road.flowers bloom (=start appearing on a plant)Spring flowers bloomed in the meadows.flowers openAs the weather gets warmer, the flowers open.grow flowersHe grows flowers as well as vegetables.pick flowersI'll pick some flowers to put on the table.produce flowersThe plant will produce beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers.pollinate flowers (=give a flower or plant pollen so that it can produce seeds)Various insects pollinate the flowers.be covered in flowers (=have flowers on every part)The fields were covered in wild flowers.phrasesa bunch of flowersHe gave me a lovely bunch of flowers.a bouquet of flowers (=a large bunch of flowers that is given to someone)The bride held a bouquet of flowers.a vase of flowersOn the table was a vase of flowers.the flowers are in bloom (also the flowers are out) (=they appear on a plant)At this time of the year, the flowers are in bloom.be a mass of flowers (=have a lot of flowers growing on every part)In spring, the valley is a mass of flowers.flower + NOUNa flower shopHe used to run a flower shop.a flower arrangementShe produced dried flower arrangements for sale.flower arrangingI learnt flower arranging from my mother.a flower potThe terrace was covered in flower pots.a flower bed (=an area for growing flowers in a garden)The flower beds had been weeded.
DNa small plant that produces beautiful flowers He wasn’t interested in growing flowers in the garden. She bent down and picked a flower.bunch/bouquet of flowers The first night we met he gave me a bunch of flowers. a beautiful flower arrangement (=flowers arranged together in an attractive way)3 → in flower4 → the flower of somethingCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2ADJECTIVES/NOUN + flowerlovely/pretty/beautiful They admired the lovely flowers in the garden.delicate The plant produces delicate purple flowers.rare A number of rare flowers grow in these woods.dead There were dead flowers in a vase of green water.artificial a basket of artificial flowersa wild flowerThe meadows were covered with wild flowers.a garden flowerDahlias have become one of the best loved garden flowers.an exotic flowerWe grow exotic flowers from all over the world.a spring/summer/autumn/winter flowerThe mountainsides were blanketed with spring flowers.cut flowersMake cut flowers last longer by changing the water in the vase.dried flowersShe had brightened up the room with a vase of dried flowers.a silk flowerShe wore a huge silk flower in her hair.verbsflowers growFlowers were growing along the side of the road.flowers bloom (=start appearing on a plant)Spring flowers bloomed in the meadows.flowers openAs the weather gets warmer, the flowers open.grow flowersHe grows flowers as well as vegetables.pick flowersI'll pick some flowers to put on the table.produce flowersThe plant will produce beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers.pollinate flowers (=give a flower or plant pollen so that it can produce seeds)Various insects pollinate the flowers.be covered in flowers (=have flowers on every part)The fields were covered in wild flowers.phrasesa bunch of flowersHe gave me a lovely bunch of flowers.a bouquet of flowers (=a large bunch of flowers that is given to someone)The bride held a bouquet of flowers.a vase of flowersOn the table was a vase of flowers.the flowers are in bloom (also the flowers are out) (=they appear on a plant)At this time of the year, the flowers are in bloom.be a mass of flowers (=have a lot of flowers growing on every part)In spring, the valley is a mass of flowers.flower + NOUNa flower shopHe used to run a flower shop.a flower arrangementShe produced dried flower arrangements for sale.flower arrangingI learnt flower arranging from my mother.a flower potThe terrace was covered in flower pots.a flower bed (=an area for growing flowers in a garden)The flower beds had been weeded. Examples from the Corpus
flower• Baptisia australis has indigo-blue flowers and superbly soft, bluish-grey foliage which is wonderful to use fresh.• Mrs. Coulter planted a few flowers in her front yard.• It produces small, fragrant flowers that cluster on older stems.• The female hazelnut flowers have extended their tiny purple tongues, but the male flowers resemble those of the alders.• Amelia was holding a huge bouquet of flowers.• Here presumably Miss Wharton and her fellow helpers would arrange the flowers, wash out their dusters, refresh themselves with tea.• She wanted to hold the flowers as well, and I told her that might just be possible.• They need 14 hours of light a day to bring out the flowers.• I had hardly remembered the most obvious and striking spectacle of the myriad snow-white flowers now staring me in the face.• Other suggestions were wholesome, home-cooked meals or decorating the home with flowers and plants.wild flowers• This is yet another area rich in wild flowers.• We were there in Spring and walked on a carpet of wild flowers.• There was a scent of wild flowers and grass cooling after a hot day.• She wondered if fate had just punished her for picking wild flowers.• The latter have produced wild flowers and butterflies which are of great interest to visitors and school children.• They are the wild flowers of our experience that are cultivated to bloom all our lives.• What Charles also wanted now he had a garden of his own was wild flowers.• But we also brought food, stones found along the way, wild flowers, and objects from our personal belongings.flower arrangement• The next day, she was in church at Farnham Road, doing flower arrangements for a wedding.• Within the deceptively small establishment are numerous and unique fresh flower arrangements, from small desktop bouquets to massive special occasion arrangements.• Why not use some of them to make a lovely flower arrangement.• Alexander demonstrates simple flower arrangements for table centerpieces, holiday centerpieces and silk flowers.• Some flower arrangements, valued at more than $ 100, were placed near the rock.• The flower arrangement from the Society is beautiful and will give pleasure and remembrance for a long time.• Somewhere they must have an affinity for it; hearts inclined to flower arrangements, minds intrigued by cleaning products.flowerflower2 ●●○ verb [intransitive] 1 DLGHBPto produce flowers Bulbs that you plant in the autumn should flower the following spring.2 literaryASUCCESSFUL to develop in a very successful way SYN flourish the economic and social conditions that will allow democracy to flower→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
flower• Hardly any of the gladioli I planted actually flowered.• Communal living flowered briefly in the 1960s.• The nasturtiums were flowering, brilliant and ragged across the soil, orange as flames.• Only perfection can flower in the light.Origin flower1 (1100-1200) Old French flor, flour, from Latin flos 