CraigD Posted May 1, 2012 Report 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
Turtle Posted May 2, 2012 Report 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
belovelife Posted May 2, 2012 Report 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
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