blooming

American  

[bloo-ming] / ˈblu mɪŋ /

adjective

1. in bloom; flowering; blossoming.

2. glowing, as with youthful vigor and freshness.

   blooming cheeks.

3. flourishing; prospering.

   a blooming business.

4. Chiefly British Slang. (used as an intensifier).

   He's got his blooming nerve.

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adverb

1. Chiefly British Slang. (used as an intensifier).

   not blooming likely.

blooming British  

/ ˈbluːmɪŋ /

adverb

1. informal (intensifier)

   a blooming genius

   blooming painful

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Other Word Forms

• bloomingly adverb
• bloomingness noun
• nonblooming adjective
• preblooming adjective

Etymology

Origin of blooming

1350–1400; Middle English; bloom ¹, -ing ²; as intensifier, a euphemism for bloody, by phonetic similarity

Example Sentences

The arrows became flowers blooming on twisting vines.

From Literature

Mom always said the awnings made the camper look cheerful, “like a clump of buttercups, blooming outside our windows.”

From Literature

Mrs. Pritchard, dead-on perfect to the flowers blooming on her dress, was hanging laundry.

From Literature

I can smell the scent of her acrid medication mixing with the sweetness of flowers blooming in the humid afternoon heat.

From Literature

A hot flush of anger runs up my neck, blooming on my cheeks.

From Literature

Related Words

• budding
• flourishing