Definition of Float

1. Verb. Be in motion due to some air or water current. "The shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore"

Exact synonyms: Be Adrift, Blow, Drift
Generic synonyms: Go, Locomote, Move, Travel
Specialized synonyms: Waft, Tide, Stream
Related verbs: Drift
Derivative terms: Blow, Drift

2. Noun. The time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment.
Generic synonyms: Interval, Time Interval

3. Verb. Be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom. "These cars won't float "
Exact synonyms: Swim
Generic synonyms: Go, Locomote, Move, Travel
Specialized synonyms: Buoy
Derivative terms: Floatation, Floater, Floater, Floating, Flotation, Swim
Antonyms: Sink

4. Noun. The number of shares outstanding and available for trading by the public.
Generic synonyms: Stock

5. Verb. Set afloat. "The girls float the wooden sticks"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond"
Specialized synonyms: Tide, Drift, Refloat
Related verbs: Swim
Generic synonyms: Transport
Derivative terms: Floatation, Flotation

6. Noun. A drink with ice cream floating in it.
Exact synonyms: Ice-cream Float, Ice-cream Soda
Generic synonyms: Drink
Specialized synonyms: Root Beer Float

7. Verb. Circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with. "The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"
Generic synonyms: Essay, Examine, Prove, Test, Try, Try Out

8. Noun. An elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade.
Generic synonyms: Display, Presentation

9. Verb. Move lightly, as if suspended. "The dancer floated across the stage"
Generic synonyms: Go, Locomote, Move, Travel
Related verbs: Be Adrift, Blow, Drift, Swim
Specialized synonyms: Ride

10. Noun. A hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco.
Exact synonyms: Plasterer's Float
Generic synonyms: Hand Tool

11. Verb. Put into the water. "Float a ship"
Generic synonyms: Launch
Derivative terms: Floatation, Flotation

12. Noun. Something that floats on the surface of water.
Generic synonyms: Artefact, Artifact
Specialized synonyms: Bob, Bobber, Bobfloat, Cork, Chip, Flotation Device, Life Preserver, Preserver, Pontoon, Raft
Derivative terms: Floaty

13. Verb. Make the surface of level or smooth. "Float the plaster"
Category relationships: Masonry
Generic synonyms: Smooth, Smoothen

14. Noun. An air-filled sac near the spinal column in many fishes that helps maintain buoyancy.
Exact synonyms: Air Bladder, Swim Bladder
Generic synonyms: Sac

15. Verb. Allow (currencies) to fluctuate. "The government floated the ruble for a few months"
Generic synonyms: Value

16. Verb. Convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation. "Float data"
Generic synonyms: Change Over, Convert

Definition of Float

1. n. Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid, as to sustain weight, or to indicate the height of the surface, or mark the place of, something.

2. v. i. To rest on the surface of any fluid; to swim; to be buoyed up.

3. v. t. 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.

Definition of Float

1. Noun. A buoyant device used to support something in water or another liquid. ¹

2. Noun. A tool similar to a rasp, used in various trades ¹

3. Noun. A sort of trowel used for finishing concrete surfaces. ¹

4. Noun. An elaborately decorated trailer or vehicle, intended for display in a parade or pageant. ¹

5. Noun. (British) A small battery-powered vehicle used for local deliveries, especially in the term milk float. ¹

6. Noun. (finance) Funds committed to be paid but not yet paid. ¹

7. Noun. (context: finance Australia and other Commonwealth countries?) An offering of shares in a company (or units in a trust) to members of the public, normally followed by a listing on a stock exchange. ¹

8. Noun. (banking) The total amount of checks/cheques or other drafts written against a bank account but not yet cleared and charged against the account. ¹

9. Noun. (context: insurance) Premiums taken in but not yet paid out. ¹

10. Noun. (programming) Short form of floating-point number. ¹

11. Noun. A soft beverage with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream floating in it. ¹

12. Noun. A small sum of money put in a cashier's till at the start of business to enable change to be made. ¹

13. Noun. (poker) A maneuver where a player calls on the flop or turn with a weak hand, with the intention of bluffing after the next community card. ¹

14. Verb. (intransitive) Of an object or substance, to be supported by a liquid of greater density than the object so as that part of the object or substance remains above the surface. ¹

15. Verb. (transitive) To cause something to be suspended in a liquid of greater density; as, to float a boat. ¹

16. Verb. (intransitive) To be capable of floating. ¹

17. Verb. (intransitive) To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating ¹

18. Verb. (intransitive) To drift or wander aimlessly. ¹

19. Verb. (intransitive) To drift gently through the air. ¹

20. Verb. (intransitive) To move in a fluid manner. ¹

21. Verb. (intransitive) (colloquial) (of an idea or scheme) To be viable. ¹

22. Verb. (transitive) To propose (an idea) for consideration. ¹

23. Verb. (intransitive) To automatically adjust a parameter as related parameters change. ¹

24. Verb. (intransitive finance) (of currencies) To have an exchange value determined by the markets as opposed to by rule. ¹

25. Verb. (transitive finance) To allow (the exchange value of a currency) to be determined by the markets. ¹

26. Verb. (transitive) (colloquial) To extend a short-term loan to. ¹

27. Verb. (transitive finance) To issue or sell shares in a company (or units in a trust) to members of the public, followed by listing on a stock exchange. ¹

28. Verb. (transitive) To use a float (tool). ¹

29. Verb. (poker) To perform a float. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Float

1. to rest or remain on the surface of a liquid [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Float

1. Origin: OE. Flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. Flota ship, fr. Fleotan to float; akin to D. Vloot fleet, G. Floss raft, Icel. Floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. Flotta. See Fleet, and cf. Flotilla, Flotsam, Plover. 1. Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid, as to sustain weight, or to indicate the height of the surface, or mark the place of, something. Specifically: A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft. The hollow, metallic ball of a self-acting faucet, which floats upon the water in a cistern or boiler. The cork or quill used in angling, to support the bait line, and indicate the bite of a fish. Anything used to buoy up whatever is liable to sink; an inflated bag or pillow used by persons learning to swim; a life preserver. "This reform bill . . . Had been used as a float by the conservative ministry." (J. P. Peters) 2. A float board. See Float board (below). 3. A contrivance for affording a copious stream of water to the heated surface of an object of large bulk, as an anvil or die. 4. The act of flowing; flux; flow. 5. A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep. 6. The trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed. 7. A polishing block used in marble working; a runner. 8. A single-cut file for smoothing; a tool used by shoemakers for rasping off pegs inside a shoe. 9. A coal cart. 10. The sea; a wave. See Flote, Float board, one of the boards fixed radially to the rim of an undershot water wheel or of a steamer's paddle wheel; a vane. Float case, a siliceous stone used to rub stonework or brickwork to a smooth surface. Float valve, a valve or cock acted upon by a float. See Float, 1 (b). 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. "Had floated that bell on the Inchcape rock." (Southey) 2. To flood; to overflow; to cover with water. "Proud Pactolus floats the fruitful lands." (Dryden) 3. To pass over and level the surface of with a float while the plastering is kept wet. 4. To support and sustain the credit of, as a commercial scheme or a joint-stock company, so as to enable it to go into, or continue in, operation. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Float

flittery
flittiness
flitting
flittingly
flittings
fliver
flivver
flivvers
flix
flixed
flixes
flixing
flixweed
flixweeds
float (current term)
float-zone silicon
float around
float someone's boat
floatable
floatage
floatages
floatant
floatants
floatation
floatations
floated
floatel
floatels

Literary usage of Float

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Folio Mu (1881)
"Ч-N—N On the sleeping lake we float.Lightly,lightly,Lightly,lightly, On the sleeping lake we float, we float, we float, we float, we float, we float, ..."

2. Proceedings by Natural Gas Association of America, Modern Language Association of America (1921)
"The sketch shows a float valve used in connection with inserted working ... This float valve consists of 18 inches of either 2-inch or I j£- inch pipe with ..."

3. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1871)
"It can be easily understood that, if a superficial current of 1 knot is observed to pass a float attached to a line which has a sinker or anchor at the ..."

4. Mining Engineers' Handbook by Robert Peele (1918)
"Prospecting Methods Surface methods in common use are: tracing float, ... There are many prospecting devices for use in specia Tracing float (Cornish, ..."

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