patauger

== French == === Etymology === From patte. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pa.to.ʒe/ === Verb === patauger to paddle around, splash about Synonyms: barboter, s'ébattre to squelch around, wade through (in mud, in wet terrain) to flounder around (in mud or snow) Synonym: se débattre (figurative) to flounder, get bogged down Synonyms: s'empêtrer, s'embrouiller ==== Conjugation ==== This is a regular -er verb, but the stem is written patauge- before endings that begin with -a- or -o- (to indicate that the -g- is a "soft" /ʒ/ and not a "hard" /ɡ/). This spelling change occurs in all verbs in -ger, such as neiger and manger. ==== Derived terms ==== pataugeoire === Further reading === “patauger”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 === Anagrams === pâturage, tapageur