How Do You Spell FOUND WANTING?

Pronunciation: [fˈa͡ʊnd wˈɒntɪŋ] (IPA)

"Found wanting" is an expression that means to be found to be inadequate or lacking. Its spelling can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first word, "found," is pronounced /faʊnd/ with a long "ow" sound. The second word, "wanting," is pronounced /ˈwɑntɪŋ/ with a short "a" sound and a hard "t" sound at the end. When combined, the phrase is spelled "found wanting" and is a common idiom used to describe someone falling short or failing to meet expectations.

FOUND WANTING Meaning and Definition

  1. The phrase "found wanting" is an idiomatic expression that conveys the notion of revealing deficiencies or falling short of expectations. It implies that upon careful scrutiny or evaluation, something or someone has been deemed insufficient or lacking in some way. The phrase often denotes a judgment of inadequacy or failure, highlighting the identified flaws or weaknesses that have been brought to light.

    In a metaphorical sense, when something is said to be "found wanting," it suggests that it has been weighed or measured against a certain set of criteria and has not met the required standard or expectation. This assessment could pertain to various aspects such as performance, quality, capability, reliability, integrity, or even moral values. The phrase can be used in a wide range of contexts, including personal relationships, professional environments, product evaluations, or subjective opinions.

    "Found wanting" is rooted in the idea of a judicial examination or assessment, wherein evidence is presented and a verdict is rendered based on the results. It implies that an objective evaluation has taken place and the subject under scrutiny has been found unsatisfactory or lacking in comparison to a desired or anticipated standard.

    Overall, the phrase "found wanting" serves as a figurative expression to convey a critical assessment that highlights shortcomings, inadequacies, or failures after a careful examination or evaluation, revealing a deficit in meeting expectations or required standards.

Common Misspellings for FOUND WANTING

  • dound wanting
  • cound wanting
  • vound wanting
  • gound wanting
  • tound wanting
  • round wanting
  • fiund wanting
  • fkund wanting
  • flund wanting
  • fpund wanting
  • f0und wanting
  • f9und wanting
  • foynd wanting
  • fohnd wanting
  • fojnd wanting
  • foind wanting
  • fo8nd wanting
  • fo7nd wanting
  • foubd wanting
  • foumd wanting

Etymology of FOUND WANTING

The phrase "found wanting" has its origins in the Bible, specifically in the Book of Daniel. In the Old Testament of the Bible, there is a story about the Babylonian king, Belshazzar, who hosted a great feast and used the sacred vessels from the Jewish temple to drink wine. As a result, a mysterious hand appeared and wrote a cryptic message on the wall, which read, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin". When the king sought help interpreting the message, the prophet Daniel informed him that it meant, "God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. You have been weighed in the balances and found wanting". The phrase "found wanting" then entered the English language, generally meaning to be found deficient or lacking in some way.

Idioms with the word FOUND WANTING

  • tried and found wanting The idiom "tried and found wanting" refers to someone or something that has been tested, evaluated, or assessed, and has been determined to be insufficient, inadequate, or lacking in some way. It implies that the individual or object did not meet the expected standards or did not live up to the perceived potential.