flounder English · revision 1355

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈflaʊ̯ndəː/ ''(UK)''; /ˈflaʊ̯ndɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is of uncertain origin,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) probably an alteration of [[founder]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) perhaps influenced by Dutch ''flodderen'' “to flop about”^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) or blended with [[flounce]].^(RHWU) The fish name is a different word: [[inh|enm|flundre]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995) [[der|xno|floundre]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) of Scandinavian origin,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) related to Norwegian and Swedish ''flundra''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The fish, as ''flundr'', is recorded in 1304–05;^(Barnhart 1995) the verb, “to stumble”, in 1592.^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb soon came to mean struggling violently and clumsily, as in water or mud,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and from the 1680s to struggle helplessly in speech or action.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The noun “act of floundering” followed in 1867.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Wiktionary notes that ''flounder'' is often confused with ''founder'': floundering is struggling, while foundering is failing completely.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1304–05 – the fish, as ''flundr''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1450 – the spelling ''flounder''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1592 – verb, to stumble.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1684 – figurative, to struggle clumsily.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1867 – noun, the act of floundering.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To struggle clumsily to move or keep one's balance, as in water or mud.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To act or proceed clumsily and in confusion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of various [[flatfish]] of the families Pleuronectidae and Bothidae, many of them food fish.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An act of floundering.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[flounderingly]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[founder]]

+ * [[flounce]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''falter'', ''waver'' and ''muddle'' as synonyms of the verb.^(RHWU) Wiktionary notes that the plural ''flounders'' is used for several species, and ''flounder'' otherwise.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}