float

(flōt)

v. float·ed, float·ing, floats

v.intr.

a. To remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking.

b. To be suspended in or move through space as if supported by a liquid.

2. To move from place to place, especially at random.

3. To move easily or lightly: "Miss Golightly ... floated round in their arms light as a scarf" (Truman Capote).

4. Economics To rise or fall freely in response to the market: allowed the dollar to float; a loan whose interest rate floats with the prime rate.

v.tr.

1. To cause to remain suspended without sinking or falling.

a. To put into the water; launch: float a ship; float a navy.

b. To start or establish (a business enterprise, for example).

3. To flood (land), as for irrigation.

4. Economics To allow (the exchange value of a currency, for example) to rise or fall freely in response to the market: Inflation forced the government to float the currency.

5. To offer for consideration; suggest: floated my idea to the committee.

6. To release (a security) for sale.

7. To arrange for (a loan).

8. To make the surface of (plaster, for example) level or smooth.

9. Computers To convert (data) from fixed-point notation to floating-point notation.

1. Something that floats, as:

a. A raft.

b. A buoy.

c. A life preserver.

d. A buoyant object, such as a piece of cork or a plastic ball, used to hold a net or part of a fishing line afloat.

e. A landing platform attached to a wharf and floating on the water.

f. A floating ball attached to a lever to regulate the water level in a tank.

2. Biology An air-filled sac or structure that aids in the flotation of an aquatic organism. Also called air bladder, air vesicle.

3. A decorated exhibit or scene mounted on a mobile platform and pulled or driven in a parade.

4. The number of shares of a security that are publicly owned and traded.

a. A sum of money representing checks that are outstanding.

b. The time between the issuing or depositing of a check and the debiting of the issuer's account.

c. The time during which a credit card purchase can be repaid without interest.

a. A tool for smoothing the surface of wet plaster or concrete.

b. A file with sharp ridges used for cutting or smoothing wood.

7. A soft drink with ice cream floating in it.

8. Excess time allowed for a task in a project schedule.

[Middle English floten, from Old English flotian; see pleu- in Indo-European roots.]

float′a·ble adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

float

(fləʊt)

1. (General Physics) to rest or cause to rest on the surface of a fluid or in a fluid or space without sinking; be buoyant or cause to exhibit buoyancy: oil floats on water; to float a ship.

2. to move or cause to move buoyantly, lightly, or freely across a surface or through air, water, etc; drift: fog floated across the road.

3. to move about aimlessly, esp in the mind: thoughts floated before him.

4. to suspend or be suspended without falling; hang: lights floated above them.

5. (Commerce) (tr)

a. to launch or establish (a commercial enterprise, etc)

b. to offer for sale (stock or bond issues, etc) on the stock market

6. (Banking & Finance) (tr) finance to allow (a currency) to fluctuate against other currencies in accordance with market forces

7. (Physical Geography) (tr) to flood, inundate, or irrigate (land), either artificially or naturally

8. (Building) (tr) to spread, smooth, or level (a surface of plaster, rendering, etc)

9. something that floats

10. (Angling) angling an indicator attached to a baited line that sits on the water and moves when a fish bites

11. (Building) a small hand tool with a rectangular blade used for floating plaster, etc

12. (Nautical Terms) chiefly US any buoyant object, such as a platform or inflated tube, used offshore by swimmers or, when moored alongside a pier, as a dock by vessels

13. (Nautical Terms) Also called: paddle a blade of a paddle wheel

14. (Swimming, Water Sports & Surfing) Brit a buoyant garment or device to aid a person in staying afloat

15. (Aeronautics) a hollow watertight structure fitted to the underside of an aircraft to allow it to land on water

16. (Botany) another name for air bladder²

17. (Zoology) another name for air bladder²

18. an exhibit carried in a parade, esp a religious parade

19. (Automotive Engineering) a motor vehicle used to carry a tableau or exhibit in a parade, esp a civic parade

20. (Automotive Engineering) a small delivery vehicle, esp one powered by batteries: a milk float.

21. (Automotive Engineering) Austral and NZ a vehicle for transporting horses

22. (Banking & Finance) banking chiefly US the total value of uncollected cheques and other commercial papers

23. (Accounting & Book-keeping) chiefly US and Canadian a sum to be applied to minor expenses; petty cash

24. (Commerce) a sum of money used by shopkeepers to provide change at the start of the day's business, this sum being subtracted from the total at the end of the day when calculating the day's takings

25. (Building) the hollow floating ball of a ballcock

26. (General Engineering) engineering a hollow cylindrical structure in a carburettor that actuates the fuel valve

27. (Cookery) chiefly US and Canadian a carbonated soft drink with a scoop of ice cream in it

28. (Textiles) (in textiles) a single thread brought to or above the surface of a woven fabric, esp to form a pattern

29. (Forestry) forestry a measure of timber equal to eighteen loads

[Old English flotian; related to Old Norse flota , Old Saxon flotōn; see fleet²]

ˈfloatable adj

ˌfloataˈbility n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

float

(floʊt)

v.i.

1. to rest or remain on the surface of a liquid; be buoyant.

2. to move gently on the surface of a liquid; drift along: The canoe floated downstream.

3. to rest or move in a liquid, the air, etc.: a balloon floating on high.

4. to move lightly and gracefully: She floated down the stairs.

5. to move or hover before the eyes or in the mind.

6. to pass from one person to another.

7. to be free from attachment or involvement.

8. to move or drift about, esp. freely or aimlessly.

9. (of a currency) to be allowed to fluctuate freely in the foreign-exchange market instead of being exchanged at a fixed rate.

v.t.

10. to cause to float.

11. to cover with water or other liquid; flood; irrigate.

12. to launch (a company, scheme, etc.); set going.

13. to issue (stocks, bonds, etc.) on the stock market in order to raise money.

14. to let (a currency) fluctuate in the foreign-exchange market.

15. to present for consideration, as an idea.

16. to make smooth with a float, as the surface of plaster.

17. something that floats, as a raft.

18. something for buoying up.

19. an inflated bag to sustain a person in water; life preserver.

20. (in a tank, cistern, etc.) a device, as a hollow ball, that through its buoyancy automatically regulates the level, supply, or outlet of a liquid.

21. a floating platform attached to a wharf, bank, etc., and used as a landing.

22. a hollow, boatlike structure under the wing or fuselage of a seaplane or flying boat that keeps it afloat in water.

23. a piece of cork or other material supporting a baited fishing line in the water.

24. an inflated organ that supports an animal in the water.

25. a vehicle bearing a display, usu. an elaborate tableau, in a parade or procession.

26. a drink with ice cream floating in it.

27. uncollected checks and commercial paper in process of transfer from bank to bank.

28. a sum of money added to a salary, pension, etc., as to cover expenses.

29. an act or instance of floating.

30. a flat tool for spreading and smoothing plaster or stucco.

[before 1000; Middle English floten, Old English flotian; c. Old Norse flota; akin to Old English flēotan to fleet²]

float′a•ble, adj.

float`a•bil′i•ty, n.

float′y, adj. float•i•er, float•i•est.

float

(flōt)

Verb

To remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking.

Noun

An air-filled sac in certain aquatic organisms, such as kelp, that helps maintain buoyancy. Also called air bladder, air vesicle.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

float

- The boards and paddle of a waterwheel or paddlewheel are the floats.

Float

of dancers: a company of female dancers—Lipton, 1970.

float

Past participle: floated
Gerund: floating

Imperative
float
float

Present
I float
you float
he/she/it floats
we float
you float
they float

Preterite
I floated
you floated
he/she/it floated
we floated
you floated
they floated

Present Continuous
I am floating
you are floating
he/she/it is floating
we are floating
you are floating
they are floating

Present Perfect
I have floated
you have floated
he/she/it has floated
we have floated
you have floated
they have floated

Past Continuous
I was floating
you were floating
he/she/it was floating
we were floating
you were floating
they were floating

Past Perfect
I had floated
you had floated
he/she/it had floated
we had floated
you had floated
they had floated

Future
I will float
you will float
he/she/it will float
we will float
you will float
they will float

Future Perfect
I will have floated
you will have floated
he/she/it will have floated
we will have floated
you will have floated
they will have floated

Future Continuous
I will be floating
you will be floating
he/she/it will be floating
we will be floating
you will be floating
they will be floating

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been floating
you have been floating
he/she/it has been floating
we have been floating
you have been floating
they have been floating

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been floating
you will have been floating
he/she/it will have been floating
we will have been floating
you will have been floating
they will have been floating

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been floating
you had been floating
he/she/it had been floating
we had been floating
you had been floating
they had been floating

Conditional
I would float
you would float
he/she/it would float
we would float
you would float
they would float

Past Conditional
I would have floated
you would have floated
he/she/it would have floated
we would have floated
you would have floated
they would have floated

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	float - the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment interval, time interval - a definite length of time marked off by two instants
	2.	float - the number of shares outstanding and available for trading by the public stock - the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest (equity); "he owns a controlling share of the company's stock"
	3.	float - a drink with ice cream floating in it ice-cream float, ice-cream soda drink - a single serving of a beverage; "I asked for a hot drink"; "likes a drink before dinner" root beer float - an ice-cream soda made with ice cream floating in root beer
	4.	float - an elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade display, presentation - a visual representation of something
	5.	float - a hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco plasterer's float hand tool - a tool used with workers' hands
	6.	float - something that floats on the surface of water artefact, artifact - a man-made object taken as a whole bobber, bobfloat, cork, bob - a small float usually made of cork; attached to a fishing line chip - a triangular wooden float attached to the end of a log line flotation device, life preserver, preserver - rescue equipment consisting of a buoyant belt or jacket to keep a person from drowning pontoon - a float supporting a seaplane raft - a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers
	7.	float - an air-filled sac near the spinal column in many fishes that helps maintain buoyancy air bladder, swim bladder sac - a structure resembling a bag in an animal
Verb	1.	float - be in motion due to some air or water current; "The leaves were blowing in the wind"; "the boat drifted on the lake"; "The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"; "the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore" be adrift, drift, blow go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" float - move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across the stage" waft - be driven or carried along, as by the air; "Sounds wafted into the room" tide - be carried with the tide drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" stream - to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind; "their manes streamed like stiff black pennants in the wind"
	2.	float - be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom swim go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" float - move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across the stage" float - set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond" buoy - float on the surface of water go under, go down, sink, settle - go under, "The raft sank and its occupants drowned"
	3.	float - set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond" float - put into the water; "float a ship" tide - cause to float with the tide drift - cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream" refloat - set afloat again; "refloat a grounded boat" float, swim - be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom transport - move something or somebody around; usually over long distances
	4.	float - circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with; "The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform" test, try out, try, essay, examine, prove - put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to; "This approach has been tried with good results"; "Test this recipe"
	5.	float - move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across the stage" go, locomote, move, travel - change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically; "How fast does your new car go?"; "We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus"; "The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect"; "The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell"; "news travelled fast" be adrift, drift, float, blow - be in motion due to some air or water current; "The leaves were blowing in the wind"; "the boat drifted on the lake"; "The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"; "the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore" float, swim - be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom ride - be sustained or supported or borne; "His glasses rode high on his nose"; "The child rode on his mother's hips"; "She rode a wave of popularity"; "The brothers rode to an easy victory on their father's political name"
	6.	float - put into the water; "float a ship" launch - propel with force; "launch the space shuttle"; "Launch a ship" float - set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond"
	7.	float - make the surface of level or smooth; "float the plaster" masonry - the craft of a mason smooth, smoothen - make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing; "smooth the surface of the wood"
	8.	float - allow (currencies) to fluctuate; "The government floated the ruble for a few months" value - fix or determine the value of; assign a value to; "value the jewelry and art work in the estate"
	9.	float - convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation; "float data" convert, change over - change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy; "We converted from 220 to 110 Volt"

float

verb

1. glide, sail, drift, move gently, bob, coast, slide, be carried, slip along barges floating quietly by the grassy river banks

2. be buoyant, stay afloat, be or lie on the surface, rest on water, hang, hover, poise, displace water Empty things float.
be buoyant settle, sink, go down, founder, dip, drown, submerge

3. waft, coast, drift Sublime music floats on a scented summer breeze.

4. suggest, present, propose, recommend, put forward, move He floated the idea of a new alliance.

5. launch, offer, sell, set up, promote, get going, push off He floated his firm on the Stock Market.
launch cancel, abolish, dissolve, terminate, annul

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

float

verb

1. To move along with or be carried away by the action of water:

drift, wash.

2. To pass quickly and lightly through the air:

dart, fly, sail, shoot, skim.

Translations

شَيء عائِمعَرَبَة نَقْل، عَوّامَهعَوَّامَة يَسْبَحُ في الهَوَاء يَطْفُو

ploutplovací vestasplávekvalníkvznášet se

flydesvævesvømmebæltevogndrive

treiben schweben schwimmen Schwimmer Floß

επιπλέω πλέω πλωτήρας άρμα

flotar boya flotador emitir hacer flotar

lipuakelluakellukekoholeijua

flotter flotteur fourgon lancer flotte

lebdjetiplovakplutati

fljótaflotholtvagn

galleggiare galleggiante lanciare una societ...nuotare proporre

浮かぶ浮き浮く

떠가다뜨다부낭

laivas restoranasnepastovūs gyventojaiplatformaplūduriuotiplukdyti

elektrokārspeldētpludinātpludiņšslīdēt

drijven drijvend voorwerp vloeien vlot

flyte melkebil sveve dupp flottør

pływak popłynąć wznosić się

bóia flutuar

гладилка держаться на поверхности мастерок плавать плавучая масса

plavákvalník

lebdetiplavati

flytasimdynasväva

ลอยลอยบนผิวน้ำหรือในอากาศสิ่งที่ลอยได้เช่นแพ

aracı dubaolta mantarısal şamandıra

nổiphaotrôi lềnh bềnh

漂流物漂浮运输车飘浮鱼漂

float

[fləʊt]

A. N [of raft, seaplane] → flotador m; (for fishing line) → corcho m; (= swimming aid) → flotador m; (in procession) → carroza f; (= sum of money) → reserva f; (in shop) → fondo m de caja dinero en caja antes de empezar las ventas del día (para cambios )

B. VT

1. [+ boat, logs] → hacer flotar
it doesn't float my boat → no me da ni frío ni calor, no me llama la atención

2. (= render seaworthy) → poner a flote

3. (= launch) [+ company] → fundar, constituir

4. (Fin) [+ currency] → hacer fluctuar, hacer flotar; [+ shares] → emitir, lanzar al mercado; [+ loan] → emitir

5. to float an idea → sugerir una idea

C. VI (gen) → flotar; [bather] → hacer la plancha; (= move in wind) → flotar, ondear
it floated to the surface → salió a la superficie
to float downriver → ir río abajo
we shall let the pound float → dejaremos que la libra esterlina flote or fluctúe

float around VI + ADV [rumour] → circular, correr

float away float off VI + ADV (in water) → ir a la deriva; (in air) → irse volando

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

float

[ˈfləʊt]

(in water) → flotteur m

(in procession) → char m

(= sum of money) → fonds m de caisse

(in water) [object] → flotter
A leaf was floating on the water → Une feuille flottait sur l'eau.

(in water) [person] → flotter, faire la planche

(in air) to float on the breeze → flotter dans l'air

(FINANCE) [currency] → flotter

(FINANCE) [+ currency] → laisser flotter

(FINANCE) to float a company on the stock market → lancer une entreprise en Bourse

[+ idea] → lancer

float around

vi [idea] → circuler

float away

vi (on the breeze) → partir à la dérive

float down

vt fus [+ river, stream] → descendre

float

(on fishing line, in cistern, carburettor, on aeroplane) → Schwimmer m; (= anchored raft) → (verankertes) Floß, Schwimmplattform f; (as swimming aid) → Schwimmkork m; (of fish) → Schwimmblase f; (on trawl net) → Korken m

(= vehicle, in procession) → Festwagen m; (for deliveries) → kleiner Elektrolieferwagen

(= ready cash: in till) → Wechselgeld nt no indef art (zu Geschäftsbeginn); (= loan to start business) → Startkapital nt; (= advance on expenses) → Vorschuss m

(on water) → schwimmen; (= move gently) → treiben; (in air) → schweben; the body floated (up) to the surface → die Leiche kam an die Wasseroberfläche; it floated downriver → es trieb flussabwärts; she floated down the aisle in a dream → sie schwebte wie im Traum zum Traualtar

(Comm, currency) → floaten

boat → zu Wasser bringen; they floated the logs downstream → sie flößten die Baumstämme flussabwärts

(Comm, Fin) company → gründen; loan → lancieren; shares → auf den Markt bringen; bond issue → ausgeben; currency → freigeben, floaten lassen; (fig) ideas, suggestion → in den Raum stellen, zur Debatte stellen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

float

[fləʊt]

1. n → galleggiante m; (cork) → sughero; (vehicle in parade) → carro; (cash) → soldi mpl in cassa (per dare il resto)

2. vt (boat, logs) → far galleggiare; (refloat) → riportare a galla; (launch, project, plan) → lanciare (Fin) (company) → lanciare (emettendo azioni); (currency) → far fluttuare
to float an idea → ventilare un'idea

3. vi (gen) → galleggiare; (ship) → stare a galla; (bather) → fare il morto (Fin) (currency) → fluttuare
to float downstream → essere trascinato/a dalla corrente

float away float off vi + adv (in water) → andare alla deriva; (in air) → volare via

float

(fləut) verb

to (make something) stay on the surface of a liquid. A piece of wood was floating in the stream.

noun

1. something that floats on a fishing-line. If the float moves, there is probably a fish on the hook.

2. a vehicle for transporting certain things. a milk-float; a cattle-float.

floating population

a section of the population not permanently resident in a place.

floating restaurant

a restaurant on a boat or other floating structure.

float

→ عَوَّامَة, يَسْبَحُ في الهَوَاء, يَطْفُو plout, plovací vesta, vznášet se flyde, svæve, svømmebælte schweben, Schwimmkissen, treiben επιπλέω, πλέω, πλωτήρας flotador, flotar kellua, kelluke, lipua flotter, flotteur lebdjeti, plovak, plutati fluttuare, galleggiante, galleggiare 浮かぶ, 浮き, 浮く 떠가다, 뜨다, 부낭 drijven, drijvend voorwerp flottør, flyte, sveve pływak, popłynąć, wznosić się bóia, flutuar держаться на поверхности, плавучая масса, подниматься flyta, simdyna, sväva ลอย, ลอยบนผิวน้ำหรือในอากาศ, สิ่งที่ลอยได้เช่นแพ sal, süzülmek, yüzdürmek nổi, phao, trôi lềnh bềnh 漂流物, 飘浮

float

n. flotador;

v. flotar.