CraigD Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 founder & flounder ...There is also the medical definition of 'founder' which I know of through working with horses.Definition of FOUNDERintransitive verb: to become disabled; especially : to go lame transitive verb: to disable (an animal) especially by inducing laminitis through excessive feedingHaving grow up around boats and boatfolk, the first thing “founder” brings to my mind is a boat taking on water ‘til it sinks or swamps. Boatfolk have a somewhat more specific sense of the word than most dictionaries’ simple “to sink below the surface of the water”, implying a protracted, loosing struggle to pump and bail vs. water coming over your gunwales. A bit inland in New England, in my teen years in the 1970s, “flounder” was a common affectionate derogatory term for … well, a person who often floundered, resembling one of the tasty flatfish of the same name flopping about out of water. Several of my high school sports coaches used it incessantly: “Smith, you flounder (in the regional dialect “floundah”), Jones, you flounder, Duncan, you flounder” and so on. Turtle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted May 2, 2012 Report Share Posted May 2, 2012 (edited) depending on which of us was asked for a trammel, the asker might get a horse shackle, a fishing net, a drawing instrument, handcuffs, a machine gauge, a fireplace pot-hanger, a bird net, or maybe a stop-hand to talk to. let's of course not leave out the ubiquitous blank stare. :lol: i would have given the drawing instrument, also known as a beam-gauge. it is essentially a giant compass for drawing large ellipses (circles) and consists of 2 small metal heads that slide along a small bar or handy stick. one head has a centering point, and the other holds a pencil, pen, or scriber. the pencil holder has a fine screw adjuster for...well, making fine adjustments. each head has a set-screw for securing it in position along the beam. what would you give if you were asked for a trammel? Edited May 2, 2012 by Turtle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belovelife Posted May 2, 2012 Report Share Posted May 2, 2012 twingle (by me)a word to a human to a birda- either esotericly, or verbally both given with good vibrations as defined by the music group "the beach boys" b- if thier eyes change from a fish eye, you have made a word, if not, they ignore you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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