I. found·er ˈfau̇ndə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English foundere, alteration (influenced by Middle English -ere -er) of foundour, foundeour, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundator, from fundatus (past participle of fundare to found) + -or — more at found
: one that founds, establishes, or builds
the founders of the college
II. foun·der verb
( foundered ; foundered ; foundering -d(ə)riŋ ; founders )
Etymology: Middle English foundren to strike down, knock to the ground, fall to the ground, from Middle French fondrer to send to the bottom, fall to the ground, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin fundorare, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin fundor-, fundus bottom, alteration of Latin fundus — more at bottom
intransitive verb
1. : to become disabled: as
a. : to break down or go lame
his horse foundered while he was still five miles from home
b. : to become stuck
the sheep foundered in the deep snow
c. : to become stiff or sick from overeating
the old horse foundered on green corn
2.
a. : to give away : collapse
the palatial hotel … swayed and plunged then foundered, turning its desk register into a death toll — Time
b. : to sink or slip sideways
large masses of the Grenville foundered and were engulfed in the granite magma — C.O.Dunbar
3. : to sink below the surface of the water
a squall came up the next day and imminent was the danger that the boat would founder — B.N.Cardozo
4.
a. : to come to grief : fail
their efforts either foundered in the committees of the state legislature or were voted down at the polls — Dwight Macdonald
b. : to break down because of an immaterial obstacle
the idea of the five-power conference … had foundered up to now on the point whether it should be held before or after implementation of the … declaration — Arnaldo Cortesi
transitive verb
1.
a. : wreck , damage
how often have we foundered progress to save some sterile principle — Richard Christopherson
b. : to cause to become disabled or lame ; especially : to cause (an animal) to founder by overfeeding
2. : to send (a ship) to the bottom : sink
III. foun·der noun
( -s )
1. : laminitis especially when of digestive origin
2. : chest founder
IV. found·er noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English foundour, founder, from Middle French fondeur, from Old French fondeor, from fondre to pour, melt + -eor -or — more at found
1. : one who founds metal or glass ; specifically : typefounder
2. : the foreman who immediately directs the operation of an iron blast furnace