/ Dictionary / Index F founder: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: found•er Pronunciation: (foun'dur), [key] — n. a person who founds or establishes. found•er Pronunciation: (foun'dur), [key] — v.i. (of a ship, boat, etc.) to fill with water and sink. to fall or sink down, as buildings, ground, etc.: Built on a former lake bed, the building has foundered nearly ten feet. to become wrecked; fail utterly: The project foundered because public support was lacking. to stumble, break down, or go lame, as a horse: His mount foundered on the rocky path. to become ill from overeating. (of a horse) to suffer from laminitis. —v.t. to cause to fill with water and sink: Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis. —n. laminitis. found•er Pronunciation: (foun'dur), [key] — n. a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: founder (Thesaurus) foundation stone founder effect Related Content Daily Word Quiz: spectral Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language