founder Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun inflammation of the laminated tissue that attaches the hoof to the foot of a horse
laminitis.
noun a person who founds or establishes some institution
founding father; father; beginner.
- George Washington is the father of his country
noun a worker who makes metal castings
verb fail utterly; collapse
flop; fall through; fall flat.
- The project foundered
verb sink below the surface
verb break down, literally or metaphorically
collapse; give; give way; break; cave in; fall in.
- The wall collapsed
- The business collapsed
- The dam broke
- The roof collapsed
- The wall gave in
- The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice
verb stumble and nearly fall
- the horses foundered

Cf. OF. fondeor, F. fondateur, L. fundator.

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

From Found to cast.

One who founds; one who casts metals in various forms; a caster; as, a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or types.

OF. fondrer to fall in, cf. F. s'effondrer, fr. fond bottom, L. fundus. See Found to establish.

imperfect & past participle Foundered ; present participle & verbal noun Foundering

(Naut.) To become filled with water, and sink, as a ship.
To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.
For which his horse fearé gan to turn, And leep aside, and foundrede as he leep. Chaucer.
To fail; to miscarry. "All his tricks founder." Shak.

To cause internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs of (a horse), so as to disable or lame him.

(Far.) (a) A lameness in the foot of a horse, occasioned by inflammation; closh. (b) An inflammatory fever of the body, or acute rheumatism; as, chest founder. See Chest ffounder. James White.