Library / English Dictionary

FLOUNDER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of various European and non-European marine flatfish

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("flounder" is a kind of...):

flatfish (any of several families of fishes having flattened bodies that swim along the sea floor on one side of the body with both eyes on the upper side)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Flesh of any of various American and European flatfish

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("flounder" is a kind of...):

flatfish (sweet lean whitish flesh of any of numerous thin-bodied fish; usually served as thin fillets)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "flounder"):

yellowtail flounder (flesh of American flounder having a yellowish tail)

plaice (flesh of large European flatfish)

turbot (flesh of a large European flatfish)

sand dab (the lean flesh of a small flounder from the Pacific coast of North America)

lemon sole; winter flounder (flesh of American flounder; important in the winter)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Walk with great difficulty

Example:

He staggered along in the heavy snow

Synonyms:

flounder; stagger

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "flounder" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Behave awkwardly; have difficulties

Example:

She is floundering in college

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "flounder" is one way to...):

fight; struggle (make a strenuous or labored effort)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Credits

 Context examples: 

I too had been groping and floundering, the while I thought I rode clear-eyed through the mystery.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Dave refused to run quietly on the trail behind the sled, where the going was easy, but continued to flounder alongside in the soft snow, where the going was most difficult, till exhausted.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

But at this juncture, Mugridge, who had lifted his head and ascertained the extent of his loss, floundered over on the deck and buried his teeth in Wolf Larsen’s leg.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

When the sled started, he floundered in the soft snow alongside the beaten trail, attacking Sol-leks with his teeth, rushing against him and trying to thrust him off into the soft snow on the other side, striving to leap inside his traces and get between him and the sled, and all the while whining and yelping and crying with grief and pain.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)