flounder

noun

1. A European species of flatfish having dull brown colouring with reddish-brown blotches; fluke, European flounder (Platichthys flesus).

   “Water Souchy. Eels, whitings, soles, flounders, and mackerel are generally used. Stew it in clear fish stock, until done, eight minutes will be enough; add cayenne, catsup, an anchovy, and any other flavouring ingredient; let it boil up, skim, and serve hot altogether in a tureen.”

2. (Canada, US)Any of various flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae or Bothidae.

   “Blackfishing from the beach. I've done my research. Hundreds of shipwrecks line the Jersey coast, and many of them are close enough to reach with a long cast on a dead-low tide. These wrecks hold tautog, porgies, sea bass, flounder.”

3. A bootmaker's tool for crimping boot fronts.

verb

1. (intransitive)To act clumsily or confused; to struggle or be flustered.

   “He gave a good speech, but floundered when audience members asked questions he could not answer well.”

   “They have floundered on from blunder to blunder.”

   “These epics nearly always had runaway trains, nincompoops floundering with the controls and a collapsed bridge just ahead!”

   “He is assessing directions, but he is not lost, not floundering.”

   “an assassin who misses his aim and flounders into penitence much as that discomfortable drama misses its point and stumbles into vacuity”

2. (intransitive)To flop around as a fish out of water.
3. (intransitive)To make clumsy attempts to move or regain one's balance.

   “Robert yanked Connie's leg vigorously, causing her to flounder and eventually fall.”

4. To be in serious difficulty.

   “Meanwhile bus and tram competition was causing the Central London Railway to flounder after its early success, and as for the City & South London ... that had always floundered.”