a person who founds or establishes some institution
"George Washington is the father of his country"
a worker who makes metal castings
"The founder carefully poured molten iron into the mold to create the engine block."
One who founds or establishes (especially said of a company, project, organisation, state)
"The young mare developed founder after being left out on the hot pavement without access to cool water or shade for days."
The iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
A severe laminitis of a horse, caused by untreated internal inflammation in the hooves.
In plain English: A founder is someone who starts and creates a new business or organization from scratch.
"The boat's founder after hitting the iceberg in the stormy sea."
Usage: In everyday language, a founder refers to a person who establishes an organization or business, not a medical condition affecting horses. Use this term when describing someone who creates a company, group, or institution from the ground up.
sink below the surface
"The massive ship began to founder as a storm wave smashed over its bow and filled the hull with water."
Of a ship, to fill with water and sink.
"The old sailing vessel began to founder as waves crashed over its bow and filled the hull with seawater."
In plain English: To founder means to fail suddenly or collapse, especially when trying to do something difficult.
"The small boat began to founder in the rough waves."
Usage: As a verb, founder commonly means to fail, collapse, or go bankrupt due to overwhelming problems. Do not use it to describe a ship sinking; that specific nautical meaning is archaic in modern everyday speech.
The word founder comes from the Old French term fondeur, which was derived from the Latin fundātor. This Latin root combines the verb for "to pour" with a suffix meaning agent or doer, creating an original sense of someone who pours metal to create something.