float

float
1 verb
1 ON WATER (I)
a) to stay or move on the surface of a liquid without sinking: Wood usually floats. | Annie was floating on her back in the pool. | along/down/past etc: The logs floated down the river.
b) (T) to put something on the surface of a liquid so that it does not sink: Pour the coffee and brandy into a mug, then float the cream on top.
2 IN THE AIR (intransitive always + adv/prep) if something floats, especially something very light or filled with air, it moves slowly in the air or stays up in the air
(+ up/down/through etc): He watched the balloon float up into the sky.
3 MUSIC/SOUNDS/SMELLS ETC (intransitive always + adv/prep) if sounds, smells etc float somewhere, people in another place can hear or smell them
(+ down/towards/into etc): The sound of her voice came floating down from an upstairs window.
4 MONEY (I, T) technical if a country floats its money or its money floats, the value of the money is allowed to change freely in relation to money from other countries: Russia floated the ruble on the foreign exchange market.
5 SUGGEST (T) to suggest an idea or plan, especially in order to find out what people think about it: The idea was first floated in a speech given by the President a few months ago.
6 COMPANY (T) to sell shares (share2 (6) in a company or business to the public for the first time
—see also: flotation (1)
7 CHEQUE AmE (T) to write a cheque that you do not have enough money in the bank to pay; bounce 1 (3) BrE
8 MOVE GRACEFULLY (I) to move gracefully and lightly: Rachel floated around the bedroom in a lace nightgown.
9 NO DEFINITE PURPOSE (intransitive always + adv/prep) to keep changing what you are doing without having any particular ideas or plans: Dean seems to float from job to job, never getting anywhere.
— floater noun (C) 2 noun (C)
1 a large vehicle that is decorated to be part of a parade 1 (1): a procession of Carnival floats
—see also: milk float
2 AmE a soft drink that has ice cream floating in it
3 a light object that floats on the surface of the water, used especially for catching fish
4 a light object used when swimming to support your body
5 a small amount of money that someone in a shop keeps so that they have enough money to give change to people

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • float — float·abil·i·ty; float·able; float; float·less; float·o·blast; float·sam; float·stone; re·float; float·er; float·a·tive; float·ing·ly; …   English syllables

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  • Float — Float, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Floated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Floating}.] [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fle[ o]tan. See {Float}, n.] 1. To rest on the surface of any fluid; to swim; to be buoyed up. [1913 Webster] The ark no… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • float|y — «FLOH tee», adjective, float|i|er, float|i|est. 1. that can float; buoyant. 2. (of a ship) needing very little water to float …   Useful english dictionary

  • Float — Float, v. t. 1. To cause to float; to cause to rest or move on the surface of a fluid; as, the tide floated the ship into the harbor. [1913 Webster] Had floated that bell on the Inchcape rock. Southey. [1913 Webster] 2. To flood; to overflow; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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