Found"er (?), n. [Cf. OF. fondeor, F. fondateur, L. fundator.] One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom anything originates; one who endows.

Found"er, n. [From Found to cast.] One who founds; one who casts metals in various forms; a caster; as, a founder of cannon, bells, hardware, or types.

Found"er (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Foundered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Foundering.] [OF. fondrer to fall in, cf. F. s'effondrer, fr. fond bottom, L. fundus. See Found to establish.] 1. (Naut.) To become filled with water, and sink, as a ship.

2. To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.

For which his horse fearé gan to turn,
And leep aside, and foundrede as he leep.

3. To fail; to miscarry. "All his tricks founder." Shak.

Found"er, v. t. To cause internal inflammation and soreness in the feet or limbs of (a horse), so as to disable or lame him.

Found"er, n. (Far.) (a) A lameness in the foot of a horse, occasioned by inflammation; closh. (b) An inflammatory fever of the body, or acute rheumatism; as, chest founder. See Chest ffounder. James White.

• One who founds, establishes, and erects; one who lays a foundation; an author; one from whom something originates; one who endows.
  
• The iron worker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation.
       Quotations
       *1957: The term 'founder' was applied in the British iron industry long afterwards to the ironworker in charge of the blast furnace and the smelting operation. — H.R. Schubert, History of the British Iron and Steel Industry, p. 161.
  
• Fill with water and sink.
  
• To fall; to stumble and go lame, as a horse.
  
• To fail; to miscarry.