| 释义 |
▪ I. flounder, n.1|ˈflaʊndə(r)|
Also 5 floundre, flownder, -dre, flondyre, 7 flunder.
[The phonology seems to show that the immediate source is AF. floundre (14th c., Black Bk. Admir. II. 102) = OF. flondre (still current in Normandy); app. of Scandinavian origin: cf. ON. flyðra (:— *flunþrjôn-), MSw., Sw., Norw. flundra, Da. flynder; mod.Ger. has flunder, but this is given by Gesner in 16th c. as only an English name (Kluge).
The MHG. vluoder of the same meaning is related by ablaut to flathe, and cannot be directly connected with flounder; but the latter may possibly be from a nasalized form of the same root.]
1. A small flat-fish, Pleuronectes Flesus. In the U.S. applied to various other species of flat-fish. Prov. as flat as a flounder.
a1450Fysshynge wyth an angle (1883) 30 The flounder is an holsom fisshe. 1513Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. 282 Base, flounders, sole. 1622Peacham Compl. Gentl. v. xxi. (1634) 254 The Eele and Flounder are two greedy Fish and bite at the redde worme. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 174 Fish..that continually crawl at the bottom; such as the eel and the flounder. a1845Hood To Tom Woodgate vi, Or are you where the flounders keep, Some dozen briny fathoms deep. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. vii. 77 You came in upon four of us down as flat as flounders.
2. Something resembling this fish.
a. dial. = fluke 2.
b. See quot. 1874.
a.1853Cooper Sussex Gloss., Flounders, animals found in the livers of rotten sheep, called in Somerset, flooks. S. 1883in Hampsh. Gloss.
b.1874Knight Dict. Mech. I. 889/2 Flounder, a slicking⁓tool whose edge is used to stretch leather for a boot front in a blocking or crimping board. 1875Ure's Dict. Arts III. 100 After this, the fronts are regularly placed on a block, being forced into position by an instrument called the flounder, and tacked to their place.
3. attrib. and Comb., as flounder-fishery, flounder-like adj. Also flounder-lantern, a dial. name of the common flounder; flounder-man, a hawker of flounders; flounder-mouth, a mouth like a flounder's, a large mouth; whence flounder-mouthed adj.; flounder's-head (whale), a bottle-nosed whale.
1884Pall Mall G. 20 Sept. 2/1 The *flounder fishery is looking up again.
1630Massinger Renegado iii. i, To firke your belly vp *flounder like.
1700Congreve Way of World v. 77 Hawkers, with Voices more Licentious than the loud *Flounder-man's.
1672–95Brickmaker's Lament. in Roxb. Ball. II. 40 The cryer he bawl'd, And there with his *flounder-mouth loudly he yaul'd.
1663Cowley Cutter of Colman St. iv. vi, She..rails at me like a *Flounder-mouth'd Fish-woman. 1724M. Davys Reform'd Coquet (1752) 110 You great Flounder-mouth'd Sea-calf.
1717in S. Dale Hist. Harwich Tab. xiv, The Bottle-Head or *Flounders-Head-Whale.
▪ II. flounder, n.2|ˈflaʊndə(r)|
[f. next vb.]
The action of the vb. flounder.
1867F. Francis Angling xiv (1880) 486 The fish gave one flounder. 1871L. Stephen Playgr. Eur. iv. (1894) 105 With a graceful flounder I was presently landed in safety upon a..ledge. 1887Sir R. H. Roberts In the Shires ii. 33 His horse..after a severe flounder, regained his legs.
▪ III. flounder, v.|ˈflaʊndə(r)|
Also 6–7 flunder.
[Of obscure etymology.
Perh. an onomatopœic blending of the sound and sense of various earlier words; cf. flounder v. (OF. fondrer), blunder, and the many vbs. with initial fl- expressing impetuous and clumsy movements. Wedgwood and Skeat compare Du. flodderen, to flounder in mire, to flop about: see the dialectal flodder v., which may have affected the development of the present word.]
1. intr. In early use, to stumble (cf. flounder v.). Subsequently, to struggle violently and clumsily; to plunge, roll and tumble about in or as in mire; also (with on, along, etc.), to move on with clumsy or rolling gait, to struggle along with difficulty. Of a horse: To rear, plunge; † to ‘shy’ (at an object).
1592W. Wyrley Armorie 101 My foot did slide and..Flundring, almost flat on earth I go. a1625Fletcher Woman's Prize ii. iii, If she flownder with you, Clap spurs on. 1687Dryden Hind & P. iii. 301 He champs the bit..And starts a side, and flounders at the cross. 1735Somerville Chase iii. 135 Another in the treach'rous Bog Lies flound'ring. 1834Medwin Angler in Wales I. 291 He lost his balance, and man and fish lay floundering together in the rapid. 1840Thackeray Paris Sk.-bk. (1872) 184 ‘You flounder in mud at every step.’ 1861Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. ii. (1889) 17 The four-oar floundered on ahead.
quasi-trans.
1694Congreve Double-Dealer iv. v, You will but flounder yourself a-weary. 1816Chalmers Let. in Life II. 66 With the risk of floundering its uncertain way through [etc.].
b. transf. and fig.
1684H. More Answer 299 The Remarker, in the very entrance, shuffles and flunders. 1728Pope Dunc. i. 120 The Hero..wrote and flounder'd on in mere despair. 1807W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 202 He dashed off to a ball, time enough to flounder through a Cotillion. 1822Hazlitt Table-t. Ser. ii. v. (1869) 123 They flounder about between fustian in expression, and bathos in sentiment. 1865Carlyle Fredk. Gt. VII. xviii. v. 178 The poor Prince's mind did flounder a good deal.
†2. trans. To cause to flounder: to confound, embarrass. Obs.
1654Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. ii. 74 He..fell into Cocytus..where floundred extreamly and uncouthly accoutred, yet he resolv'd to call for no helpe. 1685H. More Paralip. Proph. 154 Those Interpreters..flunder and confound all.
†3. to flounder up: to choke up (a water-course). Obs. [Cf. flodder v.]
1576in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 385 The streame behinde Oseney ys so floundred up that the water cannot passe..The dyches..are so floundred up wth flaggs and fylth.
†4. intr. Of soil: To fall in. [Cf. OF. fondrer in same sense.] Obs.
1774G. White Selborne xx. (1789) 177 A soil..much too loose and mouldering, liable to flounder, and threatening to overwhelm them [Sand-martins] and their labours.
Hence ˈflounderer, one who flounders.
1836Hor. Smith Tin Trump. (1876) 345 Learn this ye flounderers in the traps Of insulated lines and scraps. |