Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   float

   /fləʊt/

   verb

   • 1. rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid without sinking: "she relaxed, floating gently in the water" Similar stay afloatstay on the surfacebe buoyantbe buoyed upOpposite sink
   • ▪ cause (a buoyant object) to rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid: "trees were felled and floated downstream"
   • ▪ be suspended freely in a liquid or gas: "fragments of chipped cartilage floated in the joint"
   • 2. move or hover slowly and lightly in a liquid or the air; drift: "clouds floated across a brilliant blue sky" Similar hoverlevitatebe suspendedhangdefy gravitydriftglidesailslipslidewaftflowstreammovetravelbe carriedOpposite rush
   • ▪ (of a rumour, idea, etc.) circulate: "the notion was floating around Capitol Hill"
   • ▪ move in a casual or leisurely way: "Araminta floated down the stairs"
   • ▪ (in sport) make (the ball) travel lightly and effortlessly through the air: "he floated the kick into the net"
   • 3. put forward (an idea) as a suggestion or test of reactions. Similar suggestput forwardcome up withsubmitraisemootproposeadvanceofferprofferpositpresenttabletest the popularity oftableinformal:run something up the flagpole (to see who salutes)Opposite withdraw
   • ▪ offer the shares of (a company) for sale on the stock market for the first time. Similar launchget goingget off the groundoffersellintroduceestablishset upinstitutepromoteOpposite wind upbuy back
   • 4. (of a currency) fluctuate freely in value in accordance with supply and demand in the financial markets: "a policy of letting the pound float"
   • ▪ allow (a currency) to float.

   noun

   • 1. a thing that is buoyant in water.
   • ▪ a small object attached to a fishing line to indicate by moving when a fish bites.
   • ▪ a cork or buoy supporting the edge of a fishing net.
   • ▪ a light object held for support by a person learning to swim.
   • ▪ a hollow or inflated organ enabling an organism (such as the Portuguese man-of-war) to float in the water.
   • ▪ a hollow structure fixed underneath an aircraft enabling it to take off and land on water.
   • ▪ a floating device on the surface of a liquid which forms part of a valve apparatus controlling flow in and out of the enclosing container, e.g. in a water cistern or a carburettor.
   • 2. a small vehicle or cart, especially one powered by electricity. British
   • ▪ a platform mounted on a truck and carrying a display in a procession: "a carnival float"
   • 3. a sum of money used for change at the beginning of a period of trading in a shop or stall etc., or for minor expenditures. British
   • 4. a hand tool with a rectangular blade used for smoothing plaster.
   • 5. a soft drink with a scoop of ice cream floating in it: North American "ice-cream floats"
   • 6. (in critical path analysis) the period of time by which the duration of an activity may be extended without affecting the overall time for the process.

   Word Origin Old Englishflotian (verb), of Germanic origin and related to fleet4, reinforced in Middle English by Old French floter, also from Germanic.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • F

     4

   • L

     1

   • O

     1

   • A

     1

   • T

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points

2. People also ask

   What does float mean in English?

   • Float is what you do when you're lying on the water. Hopefully you know how to swim, so you can float suspended on the surface of the water, rather than sinking straight to the bottom. We typically think of the verb float as something you do on the surface of an ocean or pool, but it's possible to float in mid-air too.

   Float - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/float

   See all results for this question

   What is a float used for?

   • A float is a light object that is used to help someone or something float in water. First, the children learn to swim using floats. on water If something floats in a liquid, it stays on top of it. The boat floated on the water. in the air If something floats in the air, it moves slowly through it. A balloon floated over our heads.

   FLOAT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/float

   See all results for this question

   What is a float in zoology?

   • Angling. a piece of cork or other material for supporting a baited line in the water and indicating by its movements when a fish bites. Zoology. an inflated organ that supports an animal in the water. Each class prepared a float for the football pageant. a root-beer float.

   FLOAT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com/browse/float

   See all results for this question

   What does it mean if something is floating in a liquid?

   • If something or someone is floating in a liquid, they are in the liquid, on or just below the surface, and are being supported by it. You can also float something on a liquid. They noticed fifty and twenty dollar bills floating in the water. [VERB + in] ...barges floating quietly by the grassy river banks. [VERB preposition/adverb]

   FLOAT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/float

   See all results for this question

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishFLOAT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning of float as a verb and a noun in different contexts, such as not sinking, moving on liquid, suggesting an idea, or selling shares. See synonyms, antonyms, idioms, and phrasal verbs related to float.

   • English (US)

     FLOAT meaning: 1. to stay on the surface of a liquid and not...

   • Float: Arabic Translation

     FLOAT translate: يَطْفو, يَمْخُر عَباب السَّماء. Learn more...

   • Float: Korean Translation

     FLOAT translate: 뜨다, 떠다니다. Learn more in the Cambridge...

   • Float: Catalan Translation

     float translate: surar, volar. Learn more in the Cambridge...

   • Milk Float

     MILK FLOAT definition: 1. a vehicle, usually with an...

4. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › floatFloat Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › float

   • Cached

   float: [verb] to rest on the surface of or be suspended in a fluid.

5. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishFLOAT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   Learn the various meanings and uses of the word float as a verb, noun, and adjective. Find synonyms, pronunciation, examples, and related terms for float.

6. Videos

   • 

     investopedia.com

     Float: What It Is, How It Works, Calculation, and Example

     31 Dec 2008

   • 

     3:03

     youtube.com

     Float: What It Is, How It Works, Calculation, and Example

     20 Jan 2024

     190 views

   • 

     11:22

     byjus.com

     Floatation - Definition, Formula, Calculation, Uses, FAQs

     5 Apr 2021

     6.2K views

   View all

7. www.dictionary.com › browse › floatFLOAT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › float

   • Cached

   Float definition: to rest or remain on the surface of a liquid; be buoyant. See examples of FLOAT used in a sentence.

8. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › floatFloat - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › float

   Float is what you do when you're lying on the water. Hopefully you know how to swim, so you can float suspended on the surface of the water, rather than sinking straight to the bottom.

9. www.collinsdictionary.com › english › floatFLOAT definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › english › float

   • Cached

   Learn the meaning and usage of the word float in American English, with synonyms, pronunciation, and grammar. Find out how to float something in a liquid, air, or currency, and what types of floats are used in parades, fishing, and swimming.

10. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › floatFLOAT | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

    dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › float

    • Cached

    Learn the meaning of float as a verb and a noun in different contexts, such as liquid, air, business, and vehicle. See how to use float in sentences and idioms with translations.