Please tell the meaning of flail at the surface. It is from the chapter deep water class 12 textbook flamingo page 26

Please tell the meaning of flail at the surface. It is from the chapter deep water class 12 textbook flamingo page 26 water that had a dirty yellow to it. but water — grew panicky. I reached up as if to grab a rope and my hands clutched only at water. I was suffocating. I tried to yell but no sound came out. Then my eyes and nose . came; out Of the water — but not my mouth. I flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked'i tried to bring my legs up, but they hung as dead weights, paralysed and rigid. A great force was pulling me under. I screamed, but only the water heard me. I had started on the long journey back to the bottom of the pool.. I struck at the water as I went down. expending my strength as one in a nightmare fights an irresistible f ek had lost all my breath. MYP1ufigs åchedlmy head I was getting dizzy. But I remembered the strategy — would spring frbm thc bottom of the pool and come like cork to the surface. I would lie nat on the water, strike oui with my-arms, and thrashAvith my legs—rhen I_E0üId