blossom as a verb

It means she flourishes and becomes more confident.

Blossom is both a verb and a noun. As a verb, in the literal sense, it means that a plant produces flowers, and that the flowers open. In a figurative sense, the idea of a flower opening leads to the excellent definition which Boomer has provided--" . . . she flourishes and becomes more confident."

In fact, "flourish" comes from the same root (so to speak!) as flower (I think).

Dip into your dictionary occasionally, Fansy.

I like these questions about language. They make me realize how lazy I can be with words and challenge me to be precise.

Some of the questions are hard for me to answer -- even when I know exactly what they're looking for I can't come up with a clear explaination.

That's really the crux of the biscuit in ESL. To provide an explanation which the student will understand, and which will not raise more questions than it answers. I thought you response was good, very useful.

Dictionaries are completely unresponsive, McTag. They don't recognize when their users have asked inappropriately nor can they offer good advice on related issues.

There is nothing better for an ESL/EFL than engaging native speakers, even the ones who give bad advice.

I bow to your greater experience in this.
But a half-decent dictionary would at least have made clear that blossom can be a verb.

Sorry for being slightly mischievous, if that was misplaced. Bad advice? Always at your service.

I think from the title that Fansy knew it was a verb. He/she asked the meaning.

And again, [damn, there's one of them there sentence startin' conjunctions!], had Fansy not asked, none of us would have received your welcome advice re 'flourish'.

Sorry if I seemed overly stern/angry/upset/... . I was only pointing up the importance of ESLs engaging.

Dimension. I love it when you're stern.