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Flounder vs Wander - What's the difference?

flounder | wander |

As nouns the difference between flounder and wander

is that flounder is a european species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, european flounder, while wander is the act or instance of wandering.

As verbs the difference between flounder and wander

is that flounder is to flop around as a fish out of water while wander is (lb) to move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood.

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).

    wander

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood.
  • :
  • *(Bible), (w) xi.37:
  • *:They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins.
  • *
  • *:“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.
  • *
  • *:There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.Stewards, carrying cabin trunks, swarm in the corridors. Passengers wander restlessly about or hurry, with futile energy, from place to place.
  • (lb) To stray; stray from one's course; err.
  • :
  • *(Bible), (Psalms) cxix.10:
  • *:O, let me not wander from thy commandments.
  • (lb) To commit adultery.
  • (lb) To go somewhere indirectly or at varying speeds; to move in a curved path.
  • (lb) Of the mind, to lose focus or clarity of argument or attention.
  • Conjugation

    (en-conj-simple)

    Synonyms

    * (move without purpose) err, roam * (commit adultery) cheat * (go somewhere indirectly) * (lose focus) drift

    Derived terms

    * wander off * wanderer * wanderlust

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act or instance of wandering.
  • To go for a wander

    Anagrams

    * * * ----