Flounder Definition

floundər
floundered, floundering, flounders
verb
floundered, floundering, flounders
To struggle awkwardly to move, as in deep mud or snow; plunge about in a stumbling manner.
Webster's New World
To speak or act in an awkward, confused manner, with hesitation and frequent mistakes.
Webster's New World

(intransitive) To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.

Robert yanked Connie's leg vigorously, causing her to flounder and eventually fall.
Wiktionary

(intransitive) To flop around as a fish out of water.

Wiktionary
Antonyms:
noun
flounders
The act of floundering.
Webster's New World
Any of two families (Bothidae and Pleuronectidae) of flatfishes, including halibut, plaice, and turbot.
Webster's New World

A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder, Platichthys flesus.

Wiktionary
Wiktionary

Origin of Flounder

  • Possibly from the noun. Possibly from founder or from Dutch flodderen (“wade”). See other terms beginning with fl, such as flutter, flitter, float, flap, flub, flip

    From Wiktionary

  • From Anglo-Norman floundre, from Old Northern French flondre, from Old Norse flyðra. Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Anglo-Norman floundre of Scandinavian origin plat- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Probably alteration of founder

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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