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founder

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To founder is defined as to fall or fail.

(verb)

An example of founder is to fall down when drunk.

Founder means when a ship fills with water and sinks.

(verb)

An example of founder is when a ship sinks in a storm.

The definition of a founder is the person who discovers or establishes something.

(noun)

An example of a founder is the person who creates a business.

A founder is defined as a person who creates things in metal or glass.

(noun)

An example of a founder is a glass blower.

See founder in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb

to stumble, fall, or go lame
to become stuck as in soft ground; bog down
to fill with water, as during a storm, and sink: said of a ship or boat
to become sick from overeating: used esp. of livestock
to break down; fail

Origin: ME foundren < OFr fondrer, to fall in, sink < fond, bottom < L fundus, bottom: see found

transitive verb

to cause to founder

noun

laminitis

Origin: < founderthe ,

noun

a person who founds, or establishes
founding father (sense )

noun

a person who founds, or casts, metals, glass, etc.

See founder in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb foun·dered, foun·der·ing, foun·ders

verb, intransitive

To sink below the surface of the water: The ship struck a reef and foundered.
To cave in; sink: The platform swayed and then foundered.
To fail utterly; collapse: a marriage that soon foundered.
To stumble, especially to stumble and go lame. Used of horses.
To become ill from overeating. Used of livestock.
To be afflicted with laminitis. Used of horses.

verb, transitive

To cause to founder.

noun

See laminitis.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English foundren, to sink to the ground

Origin: , from Old French fondrer

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *funderāre

Origin: , from *fundus, *funder-, bottom

Origin: , from Latin fundus, fund-

Usage Note: The verbs founder and flounder are often confused. Founder comes from a Latin word meaning “bottom” (as in foundation) and originally referred to knocking enemies down; it is now also used to mean “to fail utterly, collapse.” Flounder means “to move clumsily, thrash about,” and hence “to proceed in confusion.” If John is foundering in Chemistry 1, he had better drop the course; if he is floundering, he may yet pull through.

noun

One who establishes something or formulates the basis for something: the founder of a university; the founders of a new nation.

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