Nautical Words

serendoxity wing and wing perhaps? Apr 1, 2010

palooka Hey c-b, now that I'm home I looked up "founder" (the verb) in the American Heritage Dictionary & got these definitions:
1. To sink below the surface of the water: The ship struck a reef and foundered.
2. To cave in; sink: The platform swayed and then foundered.
3. To fail utterly; collapse: a marriage that soon foundered.

Essentially founder means "to fail utterly, collapse." Flounder means "to move clumsily, thrash about," and hence "to proceed in confusion." Oct 30, 2007

reesetee Oops. I meant "foot"--copying trivet's comment below. Geez, I need a nap.... Oct 30, 2007

palooka Nasty food condition? You mean eating a bad Flounder? That would make your stomach founder. Oct 29, 2007

reesetee Or that nasty food condition. Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear But if something founders, it doesn't quite sink, does it? Or sinks so slowly that there has to be another word to describe the action?

I always thought "founder" applies to something capsizing, striking aground in shallows, etc. Oct 29, 2007

palooka I've always liked founder in the sense of sinking . It means you're just plain going down. No reason to flounder about, just enjoy the ride. Oct 29, 2007

trivet Yes, but founder is such a triksy word...

You've got the builders and entrepreneurs, the failures and sinkages, plus the nasty foot condition... Oct 29, 2007

kewpid keelhaul! Oct 29, 2007

reesetee Trivet, please say you knew I was joking. :-) Oct 29, 2007

trivet Or flounder is to flail about and founder is to sink? Oct 29, 2007

reesetee Oh, that one's easy. Flounder is a fish and founder is one of the guys who started the United States.

Er...no? Oct 29, 2007

palooka No problem. I first read the distinction on a list of "words commonly confused" I stumbled over which also included other interesting pairings like flounder & founder. Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear Whoops, I guess I missed the American Heritage Dictionary's definition then! Thanks palooka.

I guess that stuff about flotsam/jetsam could've gone on those pages, too... Oct 29, 2007

palooka Here's the American Heritage Dictionary's usage note on flotsam:
"Usage Note: In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore."

Thanks for the great words sionnach & the compliment reesetee Oct 29, 2007

reesetee This is a wonderful list; I agree. I can almost smell the salt water.... :-) Oct 29, 2007

sionnach caravel, gondola, canoe, kayak, currach, coracle, hooker? Oct 29, 2007

skipvia That's what I have always understood to be the case, c_b. So, at what point does jetsam become flotsam? Maybe it's jetsam if you toss it overboard, but flotsam if someone else finds it.

A fine line... Oct 29, 2007

chained_bear Skipvia, I looked up these words, flotsam and jetsam, after you posted your comment, thinking that there was an "official" difference between the two. I wasn't satisfied with the dictionaries' definitions, which seemed to make them sound like the same thing. But some Wikipedia writer has kindly distinguished them clearly--jetsam was jettisoned, while flotsam is simply floating debris, as from a shipwreck. This person also pointed out that "jetsam" used to be spelled "jetsom," but the A replaced the O in the early 20th century.

Oh heck, why should I type it all here? Here's the link. Oct 29, 2007

palooka Thanks c_b & skipvia! I'll come down from the flying bridge long enough to add flotsam & jetsam. Oct 29, 2007

skipvia How about those twin elves of the sea, flotsam and jetsam? Oct 28, 2007

skipvia Wonderful list! It reminded me of a friend's dog, a schipperkey, which may belong on your list. Oct 28, 2007

chained_bear It took me long enough to find this list, but it's terrific. Thanks palooka! Oct 28, 2007