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Founder

A founder is a person who establishes or originates an organization, institution, company, or similar entity, typically by conceiving its foundational idea, securing initial resources, and guiding its early development.^[1]^[2] The term derives etymologically from Old French fondeor (Modern French fondateur), borrowed from Latin fundātor, meaning "one who lays a foundation" or "establishes," rooted in fundāre ("to found" or "pour a base"), emphasizing the causal act of creating stability from inception.^[3] In business and entrepreneurial contexts, founders play a pivotal role in defining a venture's mission and vision, often bearing primary responsibility for innovation and risk-taking during formation, which empirically correlates with long-term organizational success through direct influence on core strategy and culture.^[4]^[5] The word also functions as a verb meaning to collapse, fail disastrously, or sink—as with a ship filling with water and going down—originating separately from Middle English foundren, linked to Latin fundus ("bottom"), reflecting a descent to ruin rather than constructive establishment.^[6]^[7] This dual usage underscores a conceptual tension between creation and collapse, with the noun sense predominating in historical and modern accounts of institutional origins, while the verb evokes empirical observations of ventures or efforts succumbing to overload or instability.^[8]

Core Conceptual Meaning

Person or entity that establishes something enduring

A founder is an individual or group that initiates and establishes an organization, institution, or other entity intended to persist over time, often by laying its foundational principles, structure, and initial resources.^[6]^[2] This role involves originating the core idea and mechanisms that enable longevity, distinguishing founders from later participants who may refine but do not create the base.^[9] Historical usage traces to the 13th century, where the term denoted builders of enduring works like cities or temples.^[2] Etymologically, "founder" derives from Middle English "foundour," borrowed from Anglo-French and ultimately Latin fundator, the agent noun of fundare ("to lay a foundation" or "establish"), rooted in fundus ("bottom" or "base").^[2]^[10] This origin underscores the causal primacy of founders in providing the bedrock for sustained operation, as seen in early definitions like Noah Webster's 1828 entry: "one that founds, establishes and erects; one that lays a foundation; as the founder of a temple or city."^[11] In practice, founders typically articulate a mission, secure initial funding or support, and implement governance to withstand challenges, ensuring the entity's survival beyond the founder's direct involvement.^[4] Enduring establishments by founders often manifest in institutions like universities or businesses that outlast generations, as exemplified by Andrew Carnegie's funding of 2,509 public libraries between 1883 and 1929, which promoted self-education and community access to knowledge through permanent infrastructure.^[12] Similarly, the Duke Endowment, established on December 11, 1924, with $40 million, supported educational and charitable bodies in the southeastern United States, demonstrating how founders embed mechanisms for perpetual impact via endowments and charters.^[13] These cases highlight that true endurance arises from designs resilient to entropy, such as diversified funding and adaptive rules, rather than transient popularity.^[14] While entities like corporations or nations can collectively act as founders—e.g., a government chartering a bank—individual agency predominates, as collective efforts dilute the decisive origination required for novelty and persistence.^[15] Founders' decisions, grounded in foresight about human incentives and environmental pressures, causally determine an institution's viability; failures in this, such as inadequate succession planning, lead to collapse, affirming that establishment is not mere inception but engineered durability.^[16] Source biases in modern business literature, often from venture capital outlets favoring scalable tech ventures, may overemphasize innovation at the expense of proven institutional resilience, yet empirical longevity metrics—e.g., family firms surviving centuries via conservative governance—validate the foundational imperative of stability over disruption.^[4]

Founder's syndrome in organizations

Founder's syndrome denotes a dysfunctional organizational dynamic wherein the founding leader's initial strengths in vision and execution evolve into barriers to scalability and adaptability, often manifesting as over-centralization of authority and resistance to institutionalization. This phenomenon arises particularly in startups and nonprofits where the founder's charismatic leadership propels early success but hinders professionalization as the entity matures. Empirical studies indicate it correlates with stalled innovation, as founders prioritize personal control over distributed decision-making, leading to high turnover and diminished growth trajectories.^[17]^[18] Characteristic symptoms include the founder's outsized identification with the organization, fostering an ego-driven culture that equates dissent with disloyalty; obsessive micromanagement that bypasses formal processes; and reluctance to delegate, resulting in burnout for the founder and stagnation for subordinates. Boards or teams often remain underdeveloped, serving primarily as rubber stamps rather than governance bodies, which exacerbates risks during leadership transitions. Research on nonprofits reveals that affected organizations exhibit weak succession planning, with founders viewing external hires as threats to their legacy.^[19]^[20]^[21] Causal factors trace to the founder's early overconfidence and attachment—traits adaptive for inception but maladaptive amid expansion—compounded by a lack of self-awareness about evolving organizational needs. Quantitative analyses show self-aware founders enable 2.5 times faster growth and three times longer talent retention compared to those exhibiting syndrome traits. Case evidence from Apple illustrates mitigation: Steve Jobs' 1997 return and 2011 departure necessitated Tim Cook's delegation-focused leadership, sustaining valuation growth from $80 billion in 2000 to over $3 trillion by 2023, underscoring how unaddressed syndrome can precipitate crises absent deliberate handover.^[18]^[22]^[23] Remediation demands proactive board intervention, such as enforcing term limits or external audits, though success hinges on the founder's willingness to transition from operator to steward. Longitudinal nonprofit data affirm that organizations overcoming syndrome via structured succession achieve sustained impact, avoiding the dissolution rates—estimated at 20-30% higher in founder-dominated entities—linked to perpetual leadership vacuums.^[24]^[25]

Biological and Genetic Contexts

Founder effect in population genetics

The founder effect refers to a type of genetic drift in which a new population is founded by a small number of individuals from a source population, resulting in reduced genetic diversity and allele frequencies that deviate from the original group due to random sampling of the gene pool.^[26] This process amplifies the impact of genetic drift, as the limited number of founders carries only a subset of the alleles present in the larger population, potentially elevating the frequency of rare variants by chance.^[27] Unlike selective forces, the founder effect operates neutrally, with deviations arising from stochastic loss or fixation of alleles rather than adaptive pressures.^[28] Mechanistically, the founder effect functions as a sampling error: the alleles transmitted to the new population reflect the genotypes of the few migrants, which may not proportionally represent the source population's variability. In small founding groups, this can lead to immediate bottlenecks in heterozygosity, increasing the likelihood of inbreeding and homozygosity for deleterious recessive alleles over generations.^[29] Subsequent population growth from this narrow base preserves the skewed frequencies unless countered by mutation, migration, or selection, often resulting in elevated prevalence of specific genetic disorders. Empirical studies confirm that founder effects contribute to longer linkage disequilibrium blocks and reduced effective population sizes in such groups.^[30] In human populations, the founder effect manifests prominently in isolated communities. For instance, the Amish of Pennsylvania trace descent from approximately 200 Swiss-German founders who arrived in the 18th century, leading to heightened incidence of disorders like Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (prevalence up to 1 in 200 Amish births versus 1 in 60,000-200,000 globally) due to fixation of rare mutations.^[31] Similarly, the Finnish disease heritage encompasses over 35 recessive conditions, such as congenital nephrotic syndrome (Finnish type) with a carrier frequency of 1 in 80, attributed to serial bottlenecks and founder events during medieval migrations from a small founder pool of perhaps 1,000-2,000 individuals around 2,000 years ago.^[32] These cases illustrate how founder effects, combined with endogamy and geographic isolation, sustain non-neutral allele enrichments, facilitating gene discovery but also underscoring vulnerabilities to recessive traits.^[33] Population genetic models, such as those simulating Finnish history, validate these dynamics through observed excess kinship and rare variant clustering.^[34]

Founder mutation

A founder mutation, also termed a founder variant, refers to a specific genetic alteration that originates in the germline of one or a few individuals who establish a new population, subsequently achieving elevated frequency among descendants due to the founder effect and population isolation.^[35] This phenomenon contrasts with de novo mutations by their inheritance across generations within a closed group, often amplifying rare pathogenic variants that would dilute in larger, diverse populations.^[36] Founder mutations typically manifest on shared haplotype blocks—stretches of DNA inherited identical by descent—enabling estimation of their age through decay of linkage disequilibrium, with older mutations showing shorter flanking haplotypes due to recombination over time.^[37] Such mutations underpin the disproportionate prevalence of certain hereditary disorders in isolated ethnic or geographic groups. For instance, among Ashkenazi Jews, the BRCA1 c.68_69delAG (185delAG) mutation, estimated to have arisen approximately 1,000–1,500 years ago, confers substantially elevated risks of breast and ovarian cancer, occurring in about 1% of the population compared to far lower rates globally.^[38] Similarly, the BRCA2 6174delT founder mutation in the same group heightens susceptibility to these cancers and male breast cancer.^[38] In Dutch populations, founder effects contribute to variants like those in the ABCD1 gene causing adrenoleukodystrophy, traceable to common ancestors within the Netherlands' historical demography of regional endogamy.^[39] Finnish disease heritage exemplifies this with over 30 recessive disorders linked to founder mutations, such as the NPHS1 Fin-major mutation responsible for about 98% of congenital nephrotic syndrome cases in Finland, stemming from a bottleneck around 4,000 years ago.^[36] Identification of founder mutations leverages haplotype analysis, genome-wide association studies, and sequencing to detect identical-by-state segments, facilitating targeted carrier screening and accelerating gene discovery in homogeneous cohorts.^[36] Medically, they enable cost-effective population-specific diagnostics; for example, screening for Ashkenazi Jewish founder panels detects carriers of Tay-Sachs (HEXA G269S) or Gaucher disease (GBA N370S) mutations at rates 10–100 times higher than in outbred groups, informing reproductive decisions and early interventions.^[38] However, over-reliance on founder-focused screening risks underdiagnosing non-founder variants, necessitating broader genomic approaches in diverse settings.^[36] These mutations highlight how genetic drift, rather than selection, can perpetuate disease alleles, underscoring the value of admixture mapping in research while cautioning against assumptions of neutrality without functional validation.^[28]

Animal Health and Veterinary Science

Equine founder (laminitis)

Equine laminitis, commonly referred to as founder in its advanced stages, is a debilitating inflammatory condition affecting the laminae—the sensitive, interlocking epidermal and dermal tissues that suspend the distal phalanx (coffin bone) within the equine hoof capsule. This failure of laminar attachment can result in displacement of the coffin bone, including rotation (distal displacement toward the toe) or sinking (distal displacement toward the sole), leading to severe pain and potential loss of function. The disease manifests acutely or chronically and is a leading cause of lameness in horses, with reported prevalence affecting approximately 13% of U.S. horse owners.^[40]^[41] The pathophysiology involves a cascade of vascular, enzymatic, and metabolic disruptions. Triggers initiate laminar ischemia-reperfusion injury, activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade the basement membrane, and inflammatory mediator release, culminating in separation of laminar bonds. This is exacerbated by hemodynamic changes, such as vasoconstriction and thrombosis in digital vessels, particularly in sepsis-related cases. In endocrinopathic forms, hyperinsulinemia promotes laminar cell dysfunction and stretch-induced injury. Systemic factors, including endotoxemia from gut dysbiosis, amplify these effects, explaining why the distal limbs—metabolically active and weight-bearing—are preferentially targeted despite the initiating insult being remote.^[42]^[43] Primary causes are categorized into endocrinopathic (e.g., equine metabolic syndrome [EMS] with insulin resistance or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction [PPID]), alimentary (e.g., excessive non-structural carbohydrate intake from grain overload or spring pasture, causing hindgut fermentation and acidosis), systemic inflammatory (e.g., endotoxemia from colic, pleuropneumonia, or retained fetal membranes), and supportive (e.g., contralateral limb overload from unilateral lameness). Risk factors include obesity, breed predispositions (ponies, Morgans, Arabians), and seasonal grass growth; up to 50% of cases link to EMS/PPID. Black walnut shavings or retained placentas represent less common toxins.^[41]^[44]^[45] Clinical signs emerge within 24-72 hours of insult in acute cases, featuring bilateral forelimb lameness (often grade 3-5/5), bounding arterial pulses in the digital arteries, increased hoof wall temperature, and reluctance to bear weight—horses may adopt a sawhorse stance or spend excessive time recumbent. Hoof tester sensitivity elicits pain over the toe and quarters; chronic cases show rings or flares on the hoof wall, dropped soles, and seedy toe. Elevated heart rate (>60 bpm), respiratory rate, and temperature may accompany systemic involvement.^[41]^[46] Diagnosis relies on history, physical exam, and imaging: lateral radiographs quantify coffin bone rotation (normal <5°; severe >12°) or sinking via solar depth measurement. Venous blood sampling assesses insulin (>20 μU/mL postprandial indicates dysregulation), while ruling out differentials like abscesses or fractures is essential. Histopathology confirms laminar necrosis in fatal cases.^[41]^[42] Treatment prioritizes halting progression and pain relief, with no curative therapy; acute intervention includes cryotherapy (distal limb icing to 5°C for 48-72 hours) to mitigate MMP activation and ischemia, alongside non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like phenylbutazone (2-4 mg/kg IV/PO q12-24h). Eliminate triggers: restrict carbohydrates to <10% non-structural carbs in hay, offload via deep bedding and frog/heel supports, and consider venesection or vasodilators in select cases. Farriery involves heart-bar shoes or boots for dorsal decompression; mechanical support prevents further rotation. Chronic management entails weight reduction, controlled exercise, and pergolide for PPID (0.01-0.02 mg/kg PO daily). Prognosis varies: 70-80% survival with early intervention, but severe rotation (>15°) yields <50% return to soundness.^[47]^[48]^[49] Prevention focuses on risk mitigation: maintain body condition score 4-5/9, test for EMS/PPID annually in at-risk horses (insulin >20 μU/mL or ACTH >35 pg/mL), graze post-frost or use muzzles on high-fructan pastures, and avoid abrupt diet changes. Mineral-balanced, low-starch feeds reduce incidence by 50% in susceptible populations.^[44]^[50]

Nautical and Structural Failure

Foundering of a vessel

Foundering of a vessel refers to the sinking of a ship due to uncontrollable flooding that compromises its buoyancy, typically resulting in the vessel submerging bow-first and settling stern-upward.^[51] This process differs from capsizing, which involves the vessel overturning onto its side or roof, and from stranding, where a ship runs aground without necessarily flooding.^[51] The term originates from the idea of the ship "foundering" or collapsing under water ingress, often occurring progressively as initial leaks overwhelm pumps and damage control measures.^[52] Primary causes include structural damage from collisions or groundings that breach the hull, allowing seawater to enter; heavy weather conditions that strain the hull and decks, leading to cracks or failed seams; and instability from shifted cargo or poor ballast distribution, which exacerbates flooding by reducing freeboard.^[53] In open seas, rogue waves or prolonged storms can overwhelm even intact vessels by forcing water through vents, hatches, or weakened superstructures, with empirical data from maritime accident reports indicating that progressive flooding accounts for a significant portion of such losses.^[54] Notable historical examples illustrate these dynamics. The Swedish warship Vasa foundered on its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628, in Stockholm harbor after a gust of wind heeled it over, causing open gunports to dip below the waterline and flood the lower decks due to inherent instability from excessive topweight and insufficient ballast—killing approximately 30 of the 150 aboard.^[55] The Royal Navy frigate HMS Pandora, dispatched in 1790 to apprehend mutineers from HMS Bounty, struck a reef off Queensland, Australia, on August 28, 1791, and foundered the next day after failed attempts to stop flooding through gunshot holes; of 134 crew and prisoners, 31 drowned as the ship sank stern-first.^[56] More recently, the Great Lakes freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald foundered during a gale on November 10, 1975, on Lake Superior, likely due to massive waves exceeding 35 feet (11 meters) causing structural failure and rapid flooding; all 29 crew perished, with the intact wreck discovered in 530 feet (162 meters) of water, underscoring vulnerabilities in bulk carrier design despite modern steel construction.^[57]^[58] Modern naval architecture mitigates foundering risks through compartmentalization with watertight bulkheads, automated bilge pumping systems, and stability assessments under international standards like those from the International Maritime Organization, which mandate damage stability calculations to ensure vessels retain buoyancy after flooding up to specified limits.^[53] Nonetheless, investigations into incidents reveal that human factors, such as inadequate maintenance or decision-making in extreme conditions, often contribute causally alongside environmental forces.^[59]

Professional Roles

Foundry worker (metal founder)

A foundry worker, also termed a metal founder, operates in facilities dedicated to metal casting, where they melt metals such as iron, steel, aluminum, or alloys, pour molten material into molds, and process the resulting castings for industrial, construction, or manufacturing applications.^[60] ^[61] Their core tasks include preparing sand molds or cores by hand or machine, operating furnaces to achieve precise melting temperatures often exceeding 1,200°C for ferrous metals, and removing solidified castings for finishing operations like grinding or inspection.^[62] ^[63] Historically, metal founding traces to ancient civilizations, with evidence of bronze casting in Mesopotamia around 3200 BCE, but the occupation professionalized during Europe's 14th-15th centuries amid demand for bronze bells, iron cannons, and cannonballs, evolving into industrialized roles by the 18th century with innovations like Benjamin Huntsman's crucible steel process in 1740.^[64] ^[65] In the 19th century, iron founders specialized in casting pig iron or wrought iron products, supporting the Industrial Revolution's machinery and infrastructure needs.^[66] Key processes encompass pattern-making for mold shapes, core creation to form internal voids, metal melting in induction or cupola furnaces, and pouring under controlled conditions to minimize defects like porosity or shrinkage.^[67] ^[68] Common techniques include sand casting, which accounts for over 90% of castings in some sectors due to its versatility for complex shapes, alongside die casting for high-volume precision parts using non-ferrous metals.^[69] Workers must monitor variables such as alloy composition—e.g., adding 2-4% carbon for gray iron—and cooling rates to ensure microstructural integrity, often verified through non-destructive testing like ultrasonic inspection.^[70] Required skills involve physical stamina for handling heavy molds (up to 100 kg), knowledge of metallurgy to predict casting behaviors, and proficiency with equipment like ladles or robotic pourers in modern setups.^[71] Training typically spans apprenticeships or vocational programs lasting 1-4 years, emphasizing blueprint reading and quality control standards such as ISO 9001 compliance in certified foundries.^[72] Health and safety challenges arise from exposure to molten metal splashes causing burns, silica dust from sand molds linked to silicosis (with permissible exposure limits of 0.05 mg/m³ under OSHA), and fumes containing heavy metals like chromium or manganese, necessitating respiratory protection and local exhaust ventilation.^[73] ^[74] Heat stress from ambient temperatures up to 50°C requires hydration protocols and acclimatization, while ergonomic risks from repetitive lifting contribute to musculoskeletal disorders, mitigated by automated handling systems in facilities adhering to standards like ASTM E2349.^[75] ^[76] Personal protective equipment, including flame-resistant clothing, face shields, and gloves rated for molten metal contact, forms the first line of defense, with incident rates historically higher in smaller foundries lacking advanced controls.^[77] ^[78]

Company founder in business

A company founder is the individual or group of individuals who initiate the establishment of a business entity, typically by developing the core idea, drafting foundational documents such as articles of incorporation and bylaws, and assuming initial financial risks to launch operations.^[79] Unlike formal legal roles such as director or shareholder, "founder" lacks a statutory definition and does not confer automatic rights or obligations under corporate law, though founders often secure equity stakes reflecting their early contributions.^[80] ^[81] In startups and early-stage ventures, founders bear primary responsibility for defining the company's vision, securing initial funding through personal investments, loans, or investor pitches, and assembling the initial team to execute product or service development.^[82] ^[83] They also shape organizational culture from inception, embedding values and decision-making styles that influence long-term operations and employee behavior.^[18] Founders frequently multitask across functions like marketing, strategy, and customer acquisition until the business scales, at which point they may transition to specialized roles or appoint a professional CEO while retaining influence via board seats or majority ownership.^[84] ^[85] Successful founders exhibit traits such as determination to overcome obstacles, flexibility in adapting to market feedback, and a capacity for visionary thinking to identify unmet needs, as evidenced in analyses of high-growth companies where these qualities correlate with venture survival and scaling.^[86] ^[87] Empirical studies of startup outcomes highlight resilience against failure rates exceeding 90% in the first few years, with founders who prioritize customer obsession and ethical decision-making achieving higher funding and exit probabilities.^[88] ^[89] Equity allocation among co-founders, often vesting over 4 years with a 1-year cliff to align incentives, mitigates disputes and ensures commitment, a practice standardized in Silicon Valley term sheets since the early 2000s.^[4]

Named Entities and Places

Geographical locations named Founder

No geographical locations, such as towns, mountains, rivers, or other features, are prominently recorded under the name "Founder" in major databases like the U.S. Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Extensive searches of global toponyms and place-name origins also yield no verifiable examples of settlements or natural features directly named "Founder," distinguishing it from common naming conventions derived from founders' surnames or historical events. This absence aligns with patterns where English-derived terms like "founder" (referring to establishment or sinking) rarely serve as standalone place names, unlike descriptive or eponymous alternatives.^[90]

Organizations or companies named Founder

Peking University Founder Group Company Limited, commonly referred to as Founder Group (方正集团), is a Chinese state-owned conglomerate established in 1986 as a commercial affiliate of Peking University. Headquartered in Beijing, the company operates across multiple sectors, including information technology with a focus on software development applications, digital publishing, and font technologies; healthcare and pharmaceuticals; real estate; finance; and education services.^[91]^[92]^[93] The group's information technology division has been instrumental in advancing Chinese-language digital typesetting and printing systems, contributing to the modernization of publishing in China since its inception. By the early 2000s, Founder Group had expanded into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, with reported revenues exceeding $2 billion annually as of recent estimates. Its subsidiaries include entities in securities and medical equipment, reflecting diversification from core academic technology roots.^[94]^[93] Founder Group Limited, a separate entity distinct from the Chinese conglomerate, is a holding company incorporated to provide engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) services primarily for solar power projects and commercial-industrial installations. Operating mainly in Mauritius and related markets, it focuses on renewable energy infrastructure but remains smaller in scale compared to its namesake.^[95]^[96] Other smaller organizations bearing the name "Founder," such as Founder Investment & Development Co. LTD in the United Arab Emirates (established in 2014 for export and investment activities), exist but lack the global prominence or historical significance of the Peking University affiliate.^[97]

Arts, Entertainment, and Media

Literary and artistic works titled Founder

"The Founder" is a 2016 American biographical drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Robert Siegel, depicting the story of Ray Kroc's involvement in the expansion of the McDonald's fast-food chain from its origins with the McDonald brothers.^[98] The film stars Michael Keaton as Kroc, with Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch portraying Dick and Mac McDonald, respectively, and received an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 245 reviews, praised for Keaton's performance but critiqued for dramatizing entrepreneurial ambition.^[99] In literature, "The Founder" refers to a 1989 science fiction novel by Christopher Rowley, the first book in the Fenrille series, where the protagonist escapes an oppressive Earth government aboard a starship amid interstellar conflict.^[100] Another work is "The Founder," the fifth installment in Alexey Osadchuk's Mirror World LitRPG series, published in 2022, focusing on virtual reality gaming elements and character progression in a fantasy world.^[101] Eric Dryden's "The Founder," released around 1992, narrates the isolation of professor Mark Wyden due to his politically incorrect views in a dystopian social context.^[102] Among visual arts, "The Founder" is a 1980 bronze sculpture, 12 inches high, depicting Adolph Joseph Herman Coors, founder of the Coors Brewing Company, located in Golden, Colorado.^[103]

Music and performances titled Founder

"Founder" is a musical track composed by Timothy Williams for the Founders Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), released on November 15, 2024. The instrumental piece runs for 1:55 and serves as part of the score for the American slasher film Founders Day, directed by Erik Bloomquist. No major albums, operas, or theatrical musical performances titled "Founder" have been prominently documented in music catalogs or production records as of 2025. Minor or independent releases under this exact title remain limited, with searches yielding primarily soundtrack contributions rather than standalone works.

Other Specialized Uses

Historical or linguistic variants

The noun "founder", denoting one who establishes or originates something, entered Middle English around 1275–1325 as "foundour", "foundere", or "fundre", referring to the builder of a city, church, or institution.^[2] This form derives from Old French "fondeur" or "fondeor", a noun from the verb "fondre" meaning "to melt or cast", itself from Latin "fundātor", the agent form of "fundāre" "to lay a foundation" or "establish", rooted in "fundus" "bottom" or "base".^[3] The term's earliest documented use in English appears around 1450, often in contexts of institutional or metallurgical founding.^[104] A distinct historical variant arose for the verb "to founder", meaning to sink, stumble, or collapse, first attested in Middle English around 1330 from Old French "fondrer" "to sink to the bottom", a Vulgar Latin formation "*fundorāre" from the same Latin "fundus".^[7]^[3] This sense, applied to ships, horses, or endeavors failing, reflects a semantic shift from literal submersion to figurative breakdown, with Middle English spellings like "foundren" emphasizing descent or disablement.^[105] Linguistically, cognates in Romance languages preserve the Latin root: French "fondateur" for the establisher and "fonder" for founding actions; Spanish and Portuguese "fundador"; Italian "fondatore".^[6] Non-Romance variants, such as German "Gründer" or Dutch "grondlegger", stem from separate Germanic roots meaning "to ground" or "establish", diverging etymologically from the Latin-influenced English form despite semantic overlap.^[3] These parallels highlight convergent evolution in terms for origination across Indo-European languages, without direct borrowing.

Idiomatic expressions involving failure

The verb founder, distinct from its nominal sense denoting an originator, idiomatically signifies a dramatic failure or collapse, often evoking the image of a vessel sinking after striking an underwater hazard. This usage derives from Middle English foundren, rooted in Old French fondrer ("to sink to the bottom"), ultimately from Latin fundus ("bottom"), reflecting the notion of an entity reaching its lowest point or capsizing irretrievably.^[6] Nautically, it describes a ship filling with water and submerging, as in "The vessel foundered during the gale off Cape Hatteras on October 11, 1944," referring to the USS Samuel B. Roberts in World War II naval records.^[1] Metaphorically extended since the 16th century, it applies to endeavors that falter decisively, such as "The negotiations foundered on irreconcilable demands over trade tariffs in the 2018 U.S.-China talks."^[9] A prominent idiomatic construction is "to founder on [a specific obstacle]," paralleling a ship grounding on rocks or shoals, to denote failure attributable to a particular impediment. For instance, initiatives may "founder on the rock of fiscal constraints," as observed in analyses of the Eurozone debt crisis where austerity measures caused multiple bailouts to collapse by 2012.^[106] This phrase underscores causal pinpointing rather than vague decline, distinguishing it from mere struggle (contrast with flounder, which implies clumsy persistence without total submergence).^[107] Historical texts, including 19th-century maritime logs, document early figurative shifts, such as ventures "foundering amid uncharted reefs of opposition," applied to failed expeditions like the 1845 Franklin Arctic search, lost with all 129 crew by 1848.^[108] In equine contexts, founder idiomatically describes a horse's sudden lameness from laminitis, causing it to "sink" under its own weight, metaphorically akin to enterprise breakdown; veterinary records from the American Association of Equine Practitioners note over 20% incidence in overweight breeds as of 2023 surveys.^[109] Broader applications include business or policy failures, e.g., "The startup foundered under regulatory scrutiny," evoking irreversible downturns without implying salvage, as in the 2001 Enron collapse amid accounting scandals.^[110] These expressions prioritize empirical collapse over gradual erosion, aligning with causal realism in attributing demise to identifiable triggers like structural flaws or external shocks.

References

[1]
FOUNDER | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
FOUNDER meaning: 1. someone who establishes an organization: 2. (especially of a boat) to fill with water and sink…. Learn more.
[2]
FOUNDER Definition & Meaning - Dictionary.com
Founder definition: a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.. See examples of FOUNDER used in a sentence.
[3]
Founder - Etymology, Origin & Meaning
"one who establishes, one who sets up or institutes (something)," mid-14c., from Anglo-French fundur, Old French fondeor "founder, originator" (Modern French ...
[4]
The Business Definition of a Founder - HubSpot Blog
Aug 5, 2020 · A founder is an individual who forms and establishes a business or organization. The founder is typically responsible for setting the mission and vision of a ...
[5]
Who Is a “Founder”? - Cooley GO
The term “Founder” is commonly applied to those who were instrumental in creating a new enterprise. Founders are “present at the creation” and play a key ...
[6]
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/founder
[7]
founder, v. meanings, etymology and more - Oxford English Dictionary
What does the verb founder mean? There are 13 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb founder, three of which are labelled obsolete. See 'Meaning & use' for ...
[8]
foundered - American Heritage Dictionary Entry
Usage Note: The verbs founder and flounder are often confused. Founder comes from a Latin word meaning "bottom" (as in foundation) and originally referred ...<|separator|>
[9]
FOUNDER definition in American English - Collins Dictionary
The founder of an institution, organization, or building is the person who got it started or caused it to be built, often by providing the necessary money.<|separator|>
[10]
Founder - Definition, Meaning, Synonyms & Etymology - Better Words
Dictionary definition of founder. An individual who establishes, creates, or initiates something, typically an organization, institution, company, or movement.Missing: enduring | Show results with:enduring
[11]
Webster's Dictionary 1828 - Founder
FOUND'ER, n. 1. One that founds, establishes and erects; one that lays a foundation; as the founder of a temple or city. 2. One who begins; an author; ...<|separator|>
[12]
Andrew Carnegie's Story
One of the most tangible examples of Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy was the founding of 2,509 libraries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of these ...
[13]
The Founding of Duke University
On December 11, 1924, the $40 million Duke Endowment was created, naming educational institutions, hospitals, children and families and the rural Methodist ...
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Great Founders Build Civilization - Samo Burja
Jul 15, 2020 · Again, the classic example might be the Hundred Schools period in Chinese history. Or it might be the 19th century in European history or ...
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What Is a Founder? FAQ With Steps To Starting a Business - Indeed
Jul 26, 2025 · A founder is a business professional who starts a company. Founders take an idea and use their own skills and knowledge to build a business from nothing.
[16]
Founder Meaning and Qualities - IT Nomad
Sep 11, 2024 · The meaning of being a founder is to be the one who starts the organization (country, startup, movement, etc.). They come up with the initial goal.<|separator|>
[17]
[PDF] “Innovation in organizations having founder's syndrome”
Sep 27, 2017 · The founder's syndrome is considered a management weakness and leadership dis- order affecting every entrepreneur envisioning and planning a ...
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The Founder's Dilemma - Harvard Business Review
Founders' attachment, overconfidence, and naïveté may be necessary to get new ventures up and running, but these emotions later create problems. Growing Pains.
[19]
An Assessment of Power and Privilege Among Founders of ...
Founder's syndrome refers to the phenomenon of excessive dependence on a single charismatic leader, which can lead to resistance to change, weak board ...
[20]
How to tell if your news organization suffers from founder's syndrome
Feb 28, 2023 · What are the symptoms of founder's syndrome? · Is the founder at the center of the organization's decision making? · Are decisions made quickly ...
[21]
[PDF] The Experience of Founder's Syndrome in Nonprofit Organizations ...
This study is essential to the continued growth and development of nonprofit organizations and will be a beneficial source of information for future empirical.
[22]
Escaping the Founder's Syndrome Trap: The Role of Self ... - LinkedIn
Mar 24, 2025 · Companies with self-aware founders grow 2.5x faster and retain talent 3x longer (Stanford Graduate School of Business). Case Studies: Self- ...
[23]
Founder's Syndrome: A Barrier to Organizational Growth By ...
Mar 31, 2025 · Case Studies. Apple's Transition from Steve Jobs. Apple's history provides a compelling case of overcoming Founder's Syndrome. Steve Jobs ...
[24]
[PDF] Strategies for Managers Working within Founder's Syndrome ...
This paper analyzes causes and effects of Founder's Syndrome in social purpose organizations, outlining scenarios for organizational stakeholders to make a “ ...Missing: definition symptoms sources<|separator|>
[25]
Founder's Syndrome Undermines the Legacy of Strong Leaders
Founder's syndrome occurs when a strong-minded founder, who battled against odds to build an organization, ends up becoming its biggest constraint to growth.
[26]
Bottlenecks and founder effects - Understanding Evolution
Because genetic drift acts more quickly to reduce genetic variation in small populations, undergoing a bottleneck can reduce a population's genetic variation ...Missing: Amish | Show results with:Amish
[27]
Population genetics: past, present, and future - PMC - NIH
Jul 18, 2020 · Wright (1938) developed the theory on the effects of genetic drift, that is, random changes in small populations. While his theory was supported ...
[28]
A Population-Genetic Test of Founder Effects and Implications for ...
A founder effect can account for the presence of an allele at an unusually high frequency in an isolated population if the allele is selectively neutral.Missing: mechanism peer-
[29]
[PDF] genetic-drift-and-founder-effects-implications-for-population ...
Genetic drift and founder effects are fundamental processes that shape genetic diversity within isolated populations, such as island populations or indigenous ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[30]
Molecular Genetics the Finnish Disease Heritage - Oxford Academic
The molecular data have unequivocally proved the isolation of and significant founder effect in this population. None of these diseases shows locus ...
[31]
Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterite Genetic Disorder Database - PMC
The founder effect is quite pronounced in Anabaptist populations. For example, most of the more than 40,000 Hutterites in North America can trace their ...Missing: drift | Show results with:drift
[32]
The Finnish genetic heritage in 2022 - PubMed Central - NIH
In 1966, Norio's thesis outlined how founder effect, genetic drift and isolation had molded the Finnish gene pool towards both over- and under-representation of ...
[33]
An Amish founder population reveals rare-population genetic ...
Apr 7, 2022 · Founder populations represent a powerful resource to accelerate discovery of previously unknown biology associated with rare population alleles ...<|separator|>
[34]
Article Simulation of Finnish Population History, Guided by Empirical ...
The evidence of a founder effect includes enrichment of almost 40 rare recessive diseases, longer regions of linkage disequilibrium (LD), increased kinship ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[35]
Founder BRCA1 mutations in Nepalese population - PMC
Founder mutation is a heritable genetic alteration observed with high frequency in a geographically and culturally isolated population.
[36]
Old meets new: identifying founder mutations in genetic disease - PMC
Founder mutations are often responsible for the high prevalence of rare genetic disorders in specific populations, but are also associated with more common ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[37]
With expanded carrier screening, founder populations run the risk of ...
Founder mutation: a gene mutation on an identical haplotype background, observed with high frequency in a genetically isolated population in which one or more ...
[38]
Founder populations and their uses for breast cancer genetics - NIH
Founder effects occur when a population is established by a small number of people or when a bottleneck occurs that reduces the population to a small number.
[39]
Founder mutations among the Dutch | European Journal of Human ...
Mar 10, 2004 · A Dutch founder mutation was recognized when a disease mutation could be traced back to a common founder in the Netherlands or when the mutation ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[40]
[PDF] A horse owner's guide to pasture- associated laminitis
Every horse owner is concerned about hoof problems and lameness in horses. This comes as no surprise, as 13% of U.S. horse owners report issues with laminitis.<|separator|>
[41]
Laminitis in Horses - Musculoskeletal System
Causes in horses include carbohydrate overload, excess weight bearing, and endotoxemia. The hallmark clinical sign is severe lameness with bounding digital ...
[42]
[PDF] A Review of the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Acute Laminitis
Acute laminitis (founder) is a severely debilitating, excruciatingly painful, and potentially career-end- ing and life-threatening disease of the soft tissues.
[43]
The management of equine acute laminitis - PMC - PubMed Central
Dec 22, 2014 · Laminitis is an extremely painful condition resulting in damage to the soft tissues anchoring the third phalanx to the hoof, ...
[44]
Everything You Need to Know About Laminitis in Horses
Learn about the causes and clinical signs of laminitis in horses and the latest on how to manage and prevent it.
[45]
[PDF] A Review of Equine Laminitis: Risk Factors and Predispositions
A horse experiencing a unilateral lameness not related to laminitis may develop the disease in the opposite hoof due to the increased weight bearing on that ...
[46]
Making Sense of Laminitis - The Horse
Feb 1, 2013 · Laminitis, also referred to as “founder,” is an often devastating disease of the hoof that can cripple or kill afflicted horses.
[47]
Equine Laminitis: Turning Over New Leaves - The Horse
May 15, 2019 · Current Treatment Options · Apply cryotherapy to limit disease progression; · Provide pain relief, primarily via non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ...
[48]
Keeping Laminitic Horses Comfortable
Aug 11, 2021 · Researchers have learned that cryotherapy can help reduce pain and minimize internal damage in acute sepsis-associated laminitis cases if ...
[49]
[PDF] an effective treatment for equine laminitis following onset of lameness?
Dec 9, 2021 · In horses with acute laminitis, does cryotherapy of the distal limbs applied after onset of clinical signs lead to improved clinical outcomes ...
[50]
Laminitis Basics - Kentucky Equine Research
Feb 21, 2018 · Laminitis is the local manifestation of a body-wide metabolic breakdown. Why this metabolic collapse materializes in the feet is not completely understood.
[51]
Capsizing vs Foundering: Unraveling Commonly Confused Terms
Capsizing refers to a vessel overturning, while foundering refers to a vessel sinking due to flooding or other causes. It is important to use these terms ...
[52]
Foundering Flounders - Columbia Journalism Review
Nov 16, 2009 · To “founder” means “to sink” or “to collapse.” The word is often used in a nautical sense: the Oxford English Dictionary traces it to a verb ...
[53]
Navigational emergencies - Splash Maritime
Foundering is the adverse effect on the vessel's buoyancy due to the ingress of water resulting in sinking. Foundering could be the end result of a collision or ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[54]
[PDF] Causes and circumstances of maritime casualties and crew fatalities ...
In the analysis, we have categorised ship disappearances along with foundering and capsize as they are usually sudden and considered to be foundering or capsize ...Missing: nautical definition<|separator|>
[55]
12 of the world's most interesting and best preserved shipwrecks
Jul 28, 2022 · The Burgas shipwreck was a Greek trading vessel, dating from 400BC, and is currently the oldest intact shipwreck ever discovered. History: The ...
[56]
HMS Pandora: Queensland's earliest recorded shipwreck – 1791
Jan 20, 2024 · In August 1791, HMS Pandora was returning to England from Tahiti with 14 of the Bounty mutineers in chains. The 24-gun frigate, under the ...
[57]
The Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald -- Background
The Edmund Fitzgerald was launched on June 7, 1958, from the Great Lakes Engineering Works at River Rouge, MI, a suburb on the south side of Detroit. She ...Missing: foundering | Show results with:foundering
[58]
How Edmund Fitzgerald compares to other shipwrecks
Sep 23, 2025 · In terms of popular fascination, though, few shipwrecks compare to the foundering of the Edmund Fitzgerald in a 1975 Lake Superior storm, with ...
[59]
Report on marine accident, grounding and foundering of the fishing ...
Two people were rescued from the vessel before it foundered. The master knew the waters very well, and it is not clear what caused the fishing vessel to run ...Missing: nautical definition
[60]
What Is a Foundry Worker? (With a List of Steps to Become One)
Jun 9, 2025 · Foundry workers create metal structures for various purposes, such as industrial processes, construction, or manufacturing.
[61]
94101 – Foundry workers - View unit group - Canada.ca
Foundry workers make foundry moulds and cores by hand or machine, cast molten metal, and operate furnaces in the foundry industry.
[62]
Foundry Workers | Gouvernement du Québec
Sep 19, 2025 · These individuals make moulds, pour molten metal, and operate furnaces. They work in steel mills and in metal casting departments of metal product ...
[63]
Foundries 101: What Is A Foundry? What Foundry Workers Do?
Mar 28, 2022 · What does a foundry worker do? Foundry workers work in a foundry facility to melt metals and create castings from molds. They create molds ...
[64]
Foundries Through the Ages - Elmelin Ltd
May 1, 2018 · Benjamin Huntsman was a pioneer in steel manufacturing. Around 1740, using clay pot crucibles, he began casting steel at his Handsworth plant, ...
[65]
https://www.reliance-foundry.com/blog/foundry-and-foundries
[66]
Dictionary of Old Occupations - I - Family Tree Researcher
Iron Founder: a foundry worker who cast (founds) iron. Iron Miner: a miner who collected ironstone rock as a raw material for foundry use. Iron Moulder: a ...
[67]
Understanding Foundry Processes: From Molds to Metal Casting
The process involves creating molds and cores, melting the metal, pouring it into the mold, cooling, and finally removing and finishing the product.
[68]
What is a Foundry? - General Kinematics
Sep 21, 2023 · It involves melting metal materials and pouring the molten metal into molds to create various objects, components, or products.What Is A Foundry? · The Foundry Industry · Foundry Service Equipment
[69]
14 Different Types of Casting Processes | Xometry
Sep 1, 2023 · Settings · 1. Sand Casting · 2. Die Casting (Metal Die Casting) · 3. Investment Casting · 4. Gravity Die Casting · 5. Continuous Casting · 6. Shell ...Settings · 1. Sand Casting · How Casting Works
[70]
[PDF] PART 5: OVERVIEW OF FOUNDRY PROCESSES
The casting techniques described in this section are variations of the process described in the previous paragraph. The different techniques have been.
[71]
[PDF] Foundry-Job-Description.pdf - Diversified Mold & Castings
Job Summary: Perform a combination of tasks to include the melting of metals, pouring melted metals into molds, removing castings from molds, packing sand molds ...
[72]
Guide to Working at a Metal Foundry | Warner Bros Casting
In general, foundry employees work inside facilities where the main goal is to melt and pour metal for various applications. Some central aspects of foundry ...
[73]
Melting and pouring department health hazards in a foundry.
The potential health hazards in melting and pouring areas of foundries are metal dusts and fumes, silica dusts, gases, vapors, noise and vibration, ...
[74]
Foundries – Control Technology Recommendations - CDC
Control recommendations for foundries include engineering measures, ventilation, work practices, personal protection, and monitoring. Local exhaust ventilation ...
[75]
Environmental, Health & Safety | American Foundry Society
The AFS covers health and safety, heat stress, amputation prevention, silica, respiratory protection, air, water, and waste & byproducts.
[76]
ASTM International Practice for Foundries Provides Safety ...
ASTM standard E 2349 provides safety requirements for foundries, covering sand preparation, molding, melting, pouring, and cleaning/finishing, combining three ...
[77]
The Ten Commandments of Foundry Safety
The Ten Commandments of Foundry Safety · I. Wear Your Gear · II. Breathe Safely · III. Inspect Before Use · IV. Know Your Melt · V. Keep Out Moisture · VI. Adopt Good ...
[78]
7 Common Health Risks To Foundry Workers | Elliotts Australia
Foundry workers face risks like molten metal explosions, burns, heat stress, radiation, physical and health hazards, and slips/falls.<|control11|><|separator|>
[79]
Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Roles and Responsibilities vs. Other ...
The founder of a company is the individual who started it. They helped bring the company into existence, creating the bylaws and articles of incorporation, ...
[80]
Company Founders, Directors, & Shareholders - Sprout Asia
It is important to note that the term “founder” is not a legal term, which means that there is no law that substantiates whether one is a company's founder or ...
[81]
Founder vs Director vs Shareholder | LegalVision NZ
May 24, 2023 · Being a company founder does not automatically grant you certain rights in respect of the company. ... A founder is not a legal concept.
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Understanding Startups: How to Successfully Launch a New Business
Startups are founded by one or more entrepreneurs who want to develop a product or service for which they believe there is demand. Startups typically require ...
[83]
Understanding the Key Roles and Responsibilities of a Startup ...
Jan 27, 2024 · The role of a startup founder is multifaceted, encompassing vision setting, team building, product development, financial management, marketing, ...
[84]
How to Build Your Founding Team: Key Roles & Skills - Carta
Feb 22, 2024 · Founders tend to take on the role of visionaries for the business idea and company they started. Generally, the CEO role is best for someone who ...Founder Vs. Co-Founder · C-Suite · Investors
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CEO vs Founder: Key Differences in Roles and Authority
Mar 27, 2025 · A founder is someone who sets up a team and finds business and almost everything else needed to start their business. ... Explore different types ...
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What We Look for in Founders - Paul Graham
1. Determination This has turned out to be the most important quality in startup founders. · 2. Flexibility · 3. Imagination · 4. Naughtiness · 5. Friendship
[87]
10 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs - HBS Online
Jul 7, 2020 · 10 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs · 1. Curiosity · 2. Willingness to Experiment · 3. Adaptability · 4. Decisiveness · 5. Self-Awareness.1. Curiosity · 4. Decisiveness · 9. Innovative Thinking
[88]
Startup Success: How Founder Personalities Shape Venture ...
Apr 1, 2024 · The two traits with the biggest impact on startup success are conscientiousness and neuroticism. Conscientiousness is helpful in the early ...
[89]
The 4 Traits of Successful Founders - Reach Capital
May 6, 2024 · The 4 Traits of Successful Founders · 1. Ability to Sell · 2. Persistence · 3. Clear Ethics · 4. Customer Obsessed.
[90]
Place name origins - Wikipedia
Place names in the United States tend to be more easily traceable to their origins, such as towns simply named after the founder or an important politician of ...
[91]
How Do Places Get Their Names? - World Atlas
Places are named for identification, often based on people, historical events, or geographical features. Toponymists use local principles and interviews to ...
[92]
Founder Group 2025 Company Profile: Stock Performance & Earnings
Founder Group's primary industry is Software Development Applications. Is Founder Group a private or public company? Founder Group is a Public company. What ...
[93]
Founder Group - Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees ...
May 15, 2025 · Founder Group founded by Peking University, is a Chinese conglomerate active in IT, healthcare, real estate, finance, and education.
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Peking University Founder Group Co.,Ltd. Information - RocketReach
Peking University Founder Group Co.,Ltd. Information ; Website, http://www.founder.com ; Revenue, $2.1 billion ; Employees, 157 (80 on RocketReach) ; Founded, 1986.
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Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd. - Services & Company Info
Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd. Logo · Peking University Founder ... Year founded. Founded 1986. 1 Locations. Beijing , China. Service Lines ...
[96]
Founder Group Limited (FGL) Stock Price, News, Quote & History
Founder Group Limited provides engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning solutions (EPCC) for solar projects and commercial and industrial solar ...
[97]
Founder Group Ltd - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets
Founder Group Limited operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides end-to-end engineering, procurement, construction, ...
[98]
Founder – investment & development Co. LTD
company`s activity has been divided into four major groups; Rep. office ... info@founder-group.com. Latest Content. 0. Export Marketing. December 9, 2023. 0 ...Group Companies · About Us · Certificates and licenses · Activities and Services
[99]
The Founder (2016) - IMDb
Rating 7.2/10 (198,571) The Founder is a fascinating and frustrating story about a man (and a restaurant chain) that you simultaneously respect and dislike. Michael Keaton becomes Ray ...Full cast & crew · Trivia · Parents guide · Plot
[100]
The Founder | Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 80% (245) The Founder puts Michael Keaton's magnetic performance at the center of a smart, satisfying biopic that traces the rise of one of America's most influential ...245 Reviews · Video · Cast and Crew · 25000+ Ratings
[101]
The Founder (Fenrille , #1) by Christopher Rowley - Goodreads
Rating 3.6 (63) The Founder escapes the system ahead of the efforts by the Earth Social-Synthesis government to prevent it, possibly the last star ship that will ever do so...
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The Founder (Mirror World Book #5): LitRPG Series - Amazon.com
The Founder (Mirror World Book #5): LitRPG Series - Kindle edition by Osadchuk, Alexey. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, ...
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The Founder a book by Eric Dryden - Bookshop.org US
In stock $3.99 deliveryCheck out The Founder - In 1992, Mark Wyden, a youngish professor, is driven into social isolation because of his stubborn and politically incorrect ...
[104]
The Founder, (sculpture). - SIRIS-Art Inventories
Title: The Founder, (sculpture). ; Other Titles: Adolph Joseph Herman Coors, (sculpture). ; Dates: 1980. ; Medium: Bronze. ; Dimensions: H. 12 in.
[105]
founder, n.³ meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
OED's earliest evidence for founder is from around 1450, in Middle Eng. Med. Bk. It is also recorded as a verb from the Middle English period (1150—1500).
[106]
Word of the Day: Founder | Merriam-Webster
Jun 28, 2009 · "Founder" comes from Middle English "foundren," meaning "to send to the bottom" or "collapse." That word came from the Middle French verb " ...
[107]
founders on the rock | Meaning, Grammar Guide & Usage Examples
It remains to be seen whether they would succeed, or whether their current enthusiasm would founder on the rock of deficit reduction. ... "Founders on the rock" ...
[108]
Can a Ship 'Flounder'? - Merriam-Webster
'Founder' means 'to sink' or 'to collapse' or 'to fail.' 'Flounder' means 'to struggle to move' or 'to proceed clumsily.' We explain the difference between ...
[109]
FOUNDER - American Heritage Dictionary Entry
Founder comes from a Latin word meaning "bottom" (as in foundation) and originally referred to knocking enemies down; it is now also used to mean "to fail ...
[110]
Synonyms of FOUNDER | Collins American English Thesaurus
Synonyms of 'founder' in British English ; 1 · fail · to break down or fail ; 2 · sink · (of a ship) to sink ; 3 · stumble.
[111]
Founder vs. Flounder – What's the Difference? - Writing Explained
Founder can be used in many senses to indicate a failure or collapse. ... Founder is a verb that means to crash or sink. Flounder is another verb that ...