Definition of flounder

flounderverb

cá bơn

/ˈflaʊndə(r)//ˈflaʊndər/

The word "flounder" derives from the Middle English word "floundren," which itself is of unknown origins. Some linguists believe it may have derived from the Old Norse word "flundr," meaning "flatfish," as the Nordic populations that inhabited the region during the Viking Age are known to have fished and consumed flounder. Others propose that "flounder" is a combination of the Old English words "flæsc" (meaning "flesh") and "undor" (meaning "swimmer"), as the fish's round, flat body and habits of burying itself in sediment to avoid predators resemble that of carcasses floating in the water. Whatever its origin may be, the prevalent meaning of "flounder" today, both as a noun referring to the type of flatfish and as a verb describing the act of struggling or making errors in judgment or performance, is attributed to its development in Middle English, as records of its usage in this stage date back to the 14th century. Interestingly, the word "flounder" and its variants have been suggested as potential etymological origins for other English words, such as "flounder" (meaning "to lie or deceive," possibly influenced by the fish's camouflaged nature), "floater" (referring to a buoyant substance, possibly because some flounder species can change color and shape to blend in with their environment), and "feelder" (describing a cereal machine, possibly relating to the way flounder burrow through the sand with their fins).

namespace

to struggle to know what to say or do or how to continue with something

đấu tranh để biết phải nói gì, làm gì hoặc làm thế nào để tiếp tục làm việc gì đó

Example:
  • His abrupt change of subject left her floundering helplessly.

    Sự thay đổi chủ đề đột ngột của anh khiến cô bối rối bất lực.

  • ‘Well, I, er…’ he floundered.

    ‘Chà, tôi, ờ…’ anh ấy bối rối.

to have a lot of problems and to be in danger of failing completely

gặp rất nhiều vấn đề và có nguy cơ thất bại hoàn toàn

Example:
  • At that time the industry was floundering.

    Vào thời điểm đó ngành công nghiệp đang lúng túng.

  • The new democracy there continues to flounder.

    Nền dân chủ mới ở đó tiếp tục lúng túng.

to struggle to move or get somewhere in water, mud, etc.

đấu tranh để di chuyển hoặc đi đến nơi nào đó trong nước, bùn, v.v.

Example:
  • She was floundering around in the deep end of the swimming pool.

    Cô ấy đang loay hoay ở phần sâu nhất của bể bơi.

  • A man came floundering through the snow towards us.

    Một người đàn ông loạng choạng bước qua tuyết về phía chúng tôi.