floun·der
verb/ˈflaʊndə(r)/
/ˈflaʊndər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they flounder | /ˈflaʊndə(r)/ /ˈflaʊndər/ |
| he / she / it flounders | /ˈflaʊndəz/ /ˈflaʊndərz/ |
| past simple floundered | /ˈflaʊndəd/ /ˈflaʊndərd/ |
| past participle floundered | /ˈflaʊndəd/ /ˈflaʊndərd/ |
| -ing form floundering | /ˈflaʊndərɪŋ/ /ˈflaʊndərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to struggle to know what to say or do or how to continue with something
不知所措；挠头；支吾 - His abrupt change of subject left her floundering helplessly.
他突然改变话题，使她茫然不知所措。 - + speech ‘Well, I, er…’ he floundered.
“这个，我，呃…”他支支吾吾地说。
- His abrupt change of subject left her floundering helplessly.
- [intransitive] to have a lot of problems and to be in danger of failing completely
困难重重；艰苦挣扎 - At that time the industry was floundering.
那时这个行业举步维艰。 - The new democracy there continues to flounder.
那里的新民主继续陷入困境。
- At that time the industry was floundering.
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. to struggle to move or get somewhere in water, mud, etc.
（在水、泥等中）挣扎 - She was floundering around in the deep end of the swimming pool.
她在游泳池深水区挣扎着。 - A man came floundering through the snow towards us.
一个男人在雪地里挣扎着向我们走来。
- She was floundering around in the deep end of the swimming pool.
Word Originverb late 16th cent.: perhaps a blend of founder ‘to fill with water and sink’ and blunder, or perhaps symbolic, fl- frequently beginning words connected with swift or sudden movement.