FLOUNDERING

Verb

floundering

present participle of flounder

Noun

floundering (plural flounderings)

The act of one who flounders; a clumsy struggle.

Source: Wiktionary

FLOUNDER

Floun"der, n. Etym: [Cf. Sw. flundra; akin to Dan. flynder, Icel. fly, G. flunder, and perh. to E. flounder, v.i.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Definition: A flatfish of the family Pleuronectidæ, of many species.

Note: The common English flounder is Pleuronectes flesus. There are several common American species used as food; as the smooth flounder (P. glabra); the rough or winter flounder (P. Americanus); the summer flounder, or plaice (Paralichthys dentatus), Atlantic coast; and the starry flounder (Pleuronectes stellatus).

2. (Bootmaking)

Definition: A tool used in crimping boot fronts.

Floun"der, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Floundered; p. pr. & vb. n. Floundering.] Etym: [Cf. D. flodderen to flap, splash through mire, E. flounce, v.i., and flounder the fish.]

Definition: To fling the limbs and body, as in making efforts to move; to struggle, as a horse in the mire, or as a fish on land; to roll, toss, and tumble; to flounce. They have floundered on from blunder to blunder. Sir W. Hamilton.

Floun"der, n.

Definition: The act of floundering.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition