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Flounder vs Hinder - What's the difference?

flounder | hinder |

In lang=en terms the difference between flounder and hinder

is that flounder is to act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered while hinder is to keep back; to delay or impede; to prevent.

As nouns the difference between flounder and hinder

is that flounder is a european species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, european flounder, while hinder is (slang|euphemistic) the buttocks.

As verbs the difference between flounder and hinder

is that flounder is to flop around as a fish out of water while hinder is to make difficult to accomplish; to frustrate, act as obstacle.

As an adjective hinder is

of or belonging to that part or end which is in the rear or hind, or which follows.

flounder

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) floundre, from . Cognate with Danish flynder, German Flunder, Swedish flundra.

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder, .
  • (North America) Any of various flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae or Bothidae.
  • A bootmaker's tool for crimping boot fronts.
  • (rfi, the bootmaker's tool)

    Etymology 2

    Possibly from the noun. Possibly from (founder) or from (etyl) . See other terms beginning with fl , such as (flutter), (flitter), (float), (flap), (flub), (flip)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To flop around as a fish out of water.
  • To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.
  • Robert yanked Connie's leg vigorously, causing her to flounder and eventually fall.
  • To act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.
  • * Sir W. Hamilton
  • They have floundered on from blunder to blunder.
    He gave a good speech, but floundered when audience members asked questions he could not answer well.
  • * 1996 , , Virago Press, paperback edition, page 136
  • He is assessing directions, but he is not lost, not floundering .
    Usage notes
    Frequently confused with the verb founder. The difference is one of severity; floundering'' (struggling to maintain a position) comes before ''foundering (losing it completely by falling, sinking or failing).

    hinder

    English

    Alternative forms

    * hindre (archaic)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) hindrian, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make difficult to accomplish; to frustrate, act as obstacle.
  • A drought hinders the growth of plants.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 10 , author=David Ornstein , title=Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Arsenal were playing without a recognised full-back - their defence comprising four centre-halves - and the lack of width was hindering their progress.}}
  • * 1599 , act ii, scene 2 (act i; First Folio ed.):
  • Since God ?o graciou?ly hath brought to light
    This dangerous Trea?on, lurking in our way,
    To hinder our beginnings.
  • To keep back; to delay or impede; to prevent.
  • * 1591 , act ii, scene 7 (First Folio ed.):
  • Then let me goe, and hinder not my cour?e
  • * John Locke
  • What hinders younger brothers, being fathers of families, from having the same right?
  • (obsolete) To cause harm.
  • Synonyms
    * (to delay or impede movement) bar, block, delay, hamper, impede, obstruct, restrain, stop * (to make a task difficult) delay, frustrate, hamper, impede, obstruct, prevent, thwart * See also
    Antonyms
    * (to delay or impede movement) aid, assist, help * (to make a task difficult) assist, expedite, facilitate, help
    Derived terms
    * hinderment * hinderer * hindrance * unhindered

    Etymology 2

    (hind)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of or belonging to that part or end which is in the rear or hind, or which follows.
  • the hinder end of a wagon
    the hinder parts of a horse
  • * 1990 - C. W. H. Havard (ed.), Black's Medical Dictionary , 36th edition, p 673
  • On a line dividing the front two-thirds from the hinder one-third, and set in the shape of a V, is a row of seven to twelve large flat-topped circumvallate papillae, ...
  • (hind)
  • Usage notes
    Most current uses of this adjective occur in anatomical contexts.
    Synonyms
    * (of or belonging to that part in the rear) back, hind, rear, posterior
    Antonyms
    * (of or belonging to that part in the rear) fore, front

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang, euphemistic) The buttocks.
  • * 1997 , Richard Laliberte and Stephen C. George, The Men's Health Guide to Peak Conditioning [http://books.google.com/books?id=2MOrDKokat8C], ISBN 0875963234, page 195:
  • Like martial arts, in-line skating is predicated on the notion that sooner or later you're going to end up on your hinder .