founder
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Related to founder: Founder effect
founder
to fall or sink down; to become wrecked; to stumble; collapse; succumb: The project foundered because public support was lacking.
Not to be confused with:
flounder – to struggle clumsily: He floundered helplessly on the first day of his new job.; falter; waver; flop about; a marine flatfish
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
foun·der 1
(foun′dər)v. foun·dered, foun·der·ing, foun·ders
v.intr.
1. To sink below the surface of the water: The ship struck a reef and foundered.
2. To cave in; sink: The platform swayed and then foundered.
3. To fail utterly; collapse: a marriage that soon foundered.
4. To stumble, especially to stumble and go lame. Used of horses.
5. To become ill from overeating. Used of livestock.
6. To be afflicted with laminitis. Used of horses.
v.tr.
To cause to founder: A large wave foundered the boat.
n.
See laminitis.
[Middle English foundren, to sink to the ground, from Old French fondrer, from Vulgar Latin *funderāre, from *fundus, *funder-, bottom, 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 101, he had better drop the course; if he is floundering, he may yet pull through.
found·er 2
(foun′dər)n.
One who establishes something or formulates the basis for something: the founder of a university.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
founder
(ˈfaʊndə)n
a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc
[C14: see found2]
founder
(ˈfaʊndə)vb (intr)
1. (Nautical Terms) (of a ship) to sink
2. to break down or fail: the project foundered.
3. to sink into or become stuck in soft ground
4. to fall in or give way; collapse
5. (Veterinary Science) (of a horse) to stumble or go lame
6. (Veterinary Science) archaic (of animals, esp livestock) to become ill from overeating
n
(Veterinary Science) vet science another name for laminitis
[C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found2]
Usage: Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering)
founder
(ˈfaʊndə)n
(Professions)
a. a person who makes metal castings
b. (in combination): an iron founder.
[C15: see found3]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
found•er1
(ˈfaʊn dər)n.
one who founds or establishes.
[1275–1325]
foun•der2
(ˈfaʊn dər)v.i.
1. to fill with water and sink: The ship foundered.
2. to sink; subside.
3. to become wrecked; fail utterly: The project foundered.
4. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis.
v.t. 5. to cause to suffer from laminitis.
n. 6. laminitis.
[1300–50; Middle English < Middle French fondrer « Latin fundus bottom]
found•er3
(ˈfaʊn dər)n.
one who founds metal or type.
[1175–1225]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
founder
Past participle: foundered
Gerund: foundering
Imperative |
---|
founder |
founder |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | founder - inflammation of the laminated tissue that attaches the hoof to the foot of a horse inflammation, redness, rubor - a response of body tissues to injury or irritation; characterized by pain and swelling and redness and heat |
2. | founder - a person who founds or establishes some institution; "George Washington is the father of his country" cofounder - one of a group of founders foundress - a woman founder | |
3. | founder - a worker who makes metal castings bell founder - a person who casts metal bells | |
Verb | 1. | founder - fail utterly; collapse; "The project foundered" |
2. | founder - sink below the surface | |
3. | founder - break down, literally or metaphorically; "The wall collapsed"; "The business collapsed"; "The dam broke"; "The roof collapsed"; "The wall gave in"; "The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice" change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" abandon, give up - stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims; "He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage"; "Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations" flop - fall loosely; "He flopped into a chair" break - curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; "The surf broke" | |
4. | founder - stumble and nearly fall; "the horses foundered" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
founder
1noun initiator, father, establisher, author, maker, framer, designer, architect, builder, creator, beginner, generator, inventor, organizer, patriarch, benefactor, originator, constructor, institutor He was the founder of the medical faculty.
founder
2verb
1. fail, collapse, break down, abort, fall through, be unsuccessful, come to nothing, come unstuck, miscarry, misfire, fall by the wayside, come to grief, bite the dust, go belly-up (slang), go down like a lead balloon (informal) The talks have foundered.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
founder 1
verbfounder 2
nounOne that creates, founds, or originates:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مؤَسِّس
zakladatel
grundlæggerstifter
asutaja
stofnandi
fundatorzałożyciel
zakladateľ
ustanovitelj
kurucu
founder
1 [ˈfaʊndəʳ]A. N (= originator) → fundador(a) m/f
founder
2 [ˈfaʊndəʳ] VI (Naut) → hundirse, irse a pique (fig) → fracasar (on debido a)Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
founder
[ˈfaʊndər] n → fondateur/trice m/f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
founder
1founder
2vi
(ship: = sink) → sinken, untergehen
(horse etc: = stumble) → straucheln, stolpern
founder
3n (Metal) → Gießer(in) m(f)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
founder
1 [ˈfaʊndəʳ] n → fondatore/tricefounder
2 [ˈfaʊndəʳ] vi (Naut) (also) (fig) → affondare, colare a piccoCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
found2
(faund) verb1. to start or establish. The school was founded by the king.
2. (with on/upon) to base on. The story was founded upon fact.
founˈdation noun1. the act of founding. the foundation of a new university.
2. the base on which something is built. First they laid the foundations, then they built the walls.
3. an amount of money to be used for a special purpose or the organization that manages it. The British Foundation for Cancer Research.
ˈfounder noun a person who founds a school, college, organization etc. We commemorate the founder of the school.
ˈfounding nounThe founding of the organization took place a long time ago.
ˈfounding ˈfather noun1. the first or one of the first founders of an organization, a school of thought etc. the founding father of psychoanalysis.
2. The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were the people who drew up its constitution.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.