flounder
Use Flounder in a sentence
dər verb (used without object)
1.
to struggle with stumbling or plunging movements (usually followed by about, along, on, through, etc.): He saw the child floundering about in the water.
2.
to struggle clumsily or helplessly: He floundered helplessly on the first day of his new job.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun, plural ( especially collectively ) floun·der ( especially referring to two or more kinds or species ) floun·ders.
1.
a European, marine flatfish, Platichthys flesus, used for food.
2.
any of numerous similar or closely related non-European flatfishes.
3.
any flatfish other than soles.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French floundre < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian flundra
1400–50; late Middle English < Anglo-French floundre < Scandinavian; compare Norwegian flundra
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To flounder
00:10
Flounder
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
| chat, to converse |
| to flee; abscond: |
Collins
World English Dictionary
flounder1 (ˈflaʊndə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to struggle; to move with difficulty, as in mud |
| 2. | to behave awkwardly; make mistakes |
| —n | |
| 3. | the act of floundering |
| usage Flounder is sometimes wrongly used where founder is meant: the project foundered (not floundered) because of a lack of funds | |
| flounder2 (ˈflaʊndə) | |
| —n , pl -der, -ders | |
| 1. | Also called: fluke a European flatfish, Platichthys flesus having a greyish-brown body covered with prickly scales: family Pleuronectidae: an important food fish |
| 2. | (US), (Canadian) any flatfish of the families Bothidae (turbot, etc) and Pleuronectidae (plaice, halibut, sand dab, etc) |
| [C14: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse flythra, Norwegian flundra] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
flounder
1590s, perhaps an alteration of founder (q.v.), influenced by Du. flodderen "to flop about," or native verbs in fl- expressing clumsy motion. Related: Floundered; floundering.
flounder
"flatfish," c.1304, from Anglo-Fr. floundre, from O.N.Fr. flondre, from O.N. flydhra, related to M.L.G. vlundere, cognate with Gk. platys "flat, wide, broad" (see place (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
When those are cooked, add a little water and slide in a tilapia or flounder filet.
Then there are people who need to be directed and only flounder if they're allowed to do whatever they want.
It is no wonder they flounder once they reach higher ed.
Yet despite that fillip, the weak economies may continue to flounder.
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