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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
stranger
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OP
stranger
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1 |
It's not today's word, but the intro says "ships flounder". Some will object that the correct term is founder. My Merriam-Webster gives "founder" as "2. to give way : collapse; 3. to become submerged : sink; 4. to come to grief : fail" with the first instance 14th century. "Flounder" on the other hand is "1: to struggle to move or obtain footing : thrash about wildly; 2: to proceed or act clumsily or ineffectually" and notes that its origin is probably an alteration of founder. Since M-W cites flounder's first known use this way as 1592, it can't be said to be a new coinage; however, some users note that under these definitions, founder more accurately describes a ship's behavior.
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
some users note that under these definitions, founder more accurately describes a ship's behavior. Depending on what it is that the ship is doing.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
They may flounder a while before they founder. Poor things.
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