annaspare

to flounder

verb ahn-nahs-PAH-reh Rare

Also means

to grope about

Usage Note

Annaspare takes avere as its auxiliary and describes flailing or floundering movements — literally struggling in water, or figuratively struggling helplessly with a problem. Annaspare nel vuoto means to grasp at thin air. It is vivid and expressive, used in both literal (a swimmer struggling) and figurative (someone fumbling for an explanation) senses. Not common in formal writing.

Examples

"Il nuotatore annaspava tra le onde."

Natural Translation

The swimmer was floundering among the waves.

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