thrive v. prosper v. flourish

[hhtt21]

I experience confusions with the use of verbs thrive, prosper and flourish. I would like to try to understand them via a few examples.

"The new student is prospering." What can this sentence mean in an expanded and clear manner? This is the original and can we say instead

1) The new student is thriving.

2) The new student is flourishing.

Source: WordWeb

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

Number 1 should say The new student is thriving. It means the same thing as number 2. To prosper means "to get rich". It's not equivalent to the other two.

 

[hhtt21]

Number 1 should say The new student is thriving. It means the same thing as number 2. To prosper means "to get rich". It's not equivalent to the other two.

You are probably wrong because prosper do not only mean to get rich. Here is an example: To be successful (from American Heritage Dictionary) and "To do well; to succeed (from Chambers Concise Usage Dictionary)

Thank you

 

[GoesStation]

Prosper can mean "to do well" and "to be successful" when those phrases mean to get rich.

 

[Roman55]

You are probably wrong because prosper do not only mean to get rich. Here is an example: To be successful (from American Heritage Dictionary) and "To do well; to succeed (from Chambers Concise Usage Dictionary)

You can't take a dictionary definition out of context and conclude that a native speaker is wrong.

'Prosper' means 'to do well' and when used for people it means to do well in a material or financial sense.

 

[hhtt21]

You can't take a dictionary definition out of context and conclude that a native speaker is wrong.

'Prosper' means 'to do well' and when used for people it means to do well in a material or financial sense.

I said "probably" and I do not know whose native is English here. I used the example of "student is prospering" as a context and then checked whether or not the definitions fit for it.

Thank you.

 

[hhtt21]

Here is an example: To be successful (from American Heritage Dictionary) and "To do well; to succeed (from Chambers Concise Usage Dictionary)

Thank you

Prosper can mean "to do well" and "to be successful" when those phrases mean to get rich.

How can these phrases refer to "getting rich" . There are no words about finance or money there ?

How can "to get rich" be related to a student?

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

How can "to get rich" be related to a student?

When I was a student, I received a letter from a friend who was a second-year student at a different college. He wrote that one of his hall-mates from the first year had dropped out because he was making so much money selling software for the "microcomputers" which had recently hit the market. He named his company with a word derived from microcomputer and software.

The dropout prospered and has never expressed any regrets about quitting Harvard after only one year. Can you guess who he was?

 

[hhtt21]

When I was a student, I received a letter from a friend who was a second-year student at a different college. He wrote that one of his hall-mates from the first year had dropped out because he was making so much money selling software for the "microcomputers" which had recently hit the market. He named his company with a word derived from microcomputer and software.

The dropout prospered and has never expressed any regrets about quitting Harvard after only one year. Can you guess who he was?

He of course should be Bill Gates.

 

[hhtt21]

Prosper can mean "to do well" and "to be successful" when those phrases mean to get rich.

Hi, again. The matter is still confusing for me. Bill Gates, Marc Zuckerberg or even Steve Jobs seems to me as rare examples. If think of a normal students and if the phrases do not mean get rich, say for a student, Does "the new student is prospering" mean that "the new student thriving/becoming successful at the school lessons." ?

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

He of course would [STRIKE]should[/STRIKE] be Bill Gates.

Yes indeed. He began to prosper when he was a freshman at Harvard and went on to become one of the most prosperous people in the world.

 

[hhtt21]

Yes indeed. He began to prosper when he was a freshman at Harvard and went on to become one of the most prosperous people in the world.

Why is "should" incorrect?

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

Why is "should" incorrect?

Thank you.

It would mean you think it would be better if he were Bill Gates but he's somebody else. Should implies obligation or necessity where would implies possibility.

 

[hhtt21]

It would mean you think it would be better if he were Bill Gates but he's somebody else.

Unfortunately a degree of highly above my understanding. Would you like to form that part in a different way.

Thank you.

 

[Barb_D]

, Does "the new student is prospering" mean that "the new student thriving/becoming successful at the school lessons." ?

Thank you.

This is a mis-use of the word "prosper."


I strongly urge that further discussion on should and would go to a new thread on that topic.

 

[GoesStation]

You can't take a dictionary definition out of context and conclude that a native speaker is wrong.

'Prosper' means 'to do well' and when used for people it means to do well in a material or financial sense.

How can these phrases refer to "getting rich" . There are no words about finance or money there ?

I missed the second part of your question. It's a hard one to answer, though; it's just a quirk of English that he's doing well and especially he's successful can mean "he's rich". Another way to say that is ​he's well off.

 

[GoesStation]

Hi, again. The matter is still confusing for me. Bill Gates, Marc Zuckerberg or even Steve Jobs seems to me as rare examples. If think of a normal students and if the phrases do not mean get rich, say for a student, Does "the new student is prospering" mean that "the new student thriving/becoming successful at the school lessons." ?

Thank you.

I offered the Bill Gates example as a case where prosper would be a logical choice for a student. However, I've thought about this a bit more. It's possible someone would use prospering as a synonym for thriving.​ I don't recommend it though.

 

[hhtt21]

I offered the Bill Gates example as a case where prosper would be a logical choice for a student. However, I've thought about this a bit more. It's possible someone would use prospering as a synonym for thriving.​ I don't recommend it though.

It seems words in English can sometimes be too confusing even for its native speakers. Then I shouldn't upset that I do not understand some words completely.

Thank you.

Thank you.

 

[GoesStation]

It seems words in English can sometimes be too confusing even for its native speakers. Then I shouldn't upset that I do not understand some words completely.

You're right on both counts. I think every language has words like that. English certainly has an abundance of them.

Write I shouldn't be upset.

 

[Tdol]

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