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Founder vs Fonder - What's the difference?

founder | fonder |

As a noun founder

is one who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom something originates; one who endows.

As a verb founder

is of a ship, to fill with water and sink.

As an adjective fonder is

comparative of fond.

founder

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom something originates; one who endows.
  • (genetics) Someone for whose parents one has no data.
    • Antonyms
    * (one who founds) ruiner

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
  • * 1957 , H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry , p. 161.
    • The term 'founder' was applied in the British iron industry long afterwards to the ironworker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
  • One who casts metals in various forms; a caster.
    • a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or printing types

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of a ship, to fill with water and sink.
  • * 1719 ,
    • We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship but we saw her sink, and then I understood for the first time what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea.
  • To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.
  • To disable or lame (a horse) by causing internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs.
  • To fail; to miscarry.
  • * Shakespeare
    • All his tricks founder .

    Usage notes

    Frequently confused with flounder. Both may be applied to the same situation, the difference is the severity of the action: floundering'' (struggling to maintain position) comes first, followed by ''foundering (losing it by falling, sinking or failing).

    Anagrams

    * ----

    fonder

    English

    Adjective

    (head)
  • (fond)
    • ----

    fond

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (chiefly, with of) Having a liking or affection (for).
  • * Shakespeare
    • more fond on her than she upon her love
  • * Irving
    • a great traveller, and fond of telling his adventures
  • .
    • a fond farewell
    a fond mother or wife
  • .
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
    • , title= , chapter=1 citation , passage=“The story of this adoption is, of course, the pivot round which all the circumstances of the mysterious tragedy revolved. Mrs. Yule had an only son, namely, William, to whom she was passionately attached ; but, like many a fond mother, she had the desire of mapping out that son's future entirely according to her own ideas. […]”}}
    I have fond grandparents who spoil me.
  • ; foolish; silly.
    • Your fond dreams of flying to Jupiter have been quashed by the facts of reality.
  • (obsolete) Foolish; simple; weak.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Grant I may never prove so fond / To trust man on his oath or bond.
  • (obsolete) Doted on; regarded with affection.
  • * Byron
    • Nor fix on fond abodes to circumscribe thy prayer.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * fondly * fondness * overfond

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The background design in lace-making.
  • (cooking) brown residue in pans from cooking meats and vegetables.
    • He used the fond to make a classic French pan sauce.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To have a foolish affection for, to be fond of.
  • (obsolete) To caress; to fondle.
  • * Dryden
    • The Tyrian hugs and fonds thee on her breast.