What does float mean?

Definitions for float
floʊtfloat

Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word float.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. floatnoun

    the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment

  2. floatnoun

    the number of shares outstanding and available for trading by the public

  3. ice-cream soda, ice-cream float, floatnoun

    a drink with ice cream floating in it

  4. floatnoun

    an elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade

  5. float, plasterer's floatnoun

    a hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco

  6. floatnoun

    something that floats on the surface of water

  7. air bladder, swim bladder, floatverb

    an air-filled sac near the spinal column in many fishes that helps maintain buoyancy

  8. float, drift, be adrift, blowverb

    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"

  9. float, swimverb

    be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom

  10. floatverb

    set afloat

    "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond"

  11. floatverb

    circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with

    "The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"

  12. floatverb

    move lightly, as if suspended

    "The dancer floated across the stage"

  13. floatverb

    put into the water

    "float a ship"

  14. floatverb

    make the surface of level or smooth

    "float the plaster"

  15. floatverb

    allow (currencies) to fluctuate

    "The government floated the ruble for a few months"

  16. floatverb

    convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation

    "float data"

GCIDE

  1. Floatnoun

    (Banking) The free use of money for a time between occurrence of a transaction (such as depositing a check or a purchase made using a credit card), and the time when funds are withdrawn to cover the transaction; also, the money made available between transactions in that manner.

    Etymology: [OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. flota ship, fr. fletan to float; akin to D. vloot fleet, G. floss raft, Icel. floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. flotta. 84. See Fleet, v. i., and cf. Flotilla, Flotsam, Plover.]

  2. Floatnoun

    a vehicle on which an exhibit or display is mounted, driven or pulled as part of a parade. The float often is based on a large flat platform, and may contain a very elaborate structure with a tableau or people.

    Etymology: [OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. flota ship, fr. fletan to float; akin to D. vloot fleet, G. floss raft, Icel. floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. flotta. 84. See Fleet, v. i., and cf. Flotilla, Flotsam, Plover.]

  3. Floatnoun

    Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid, as to sustain weight, or to indicate the height of the liquid surface, or mark the place of, something. Specifically: (a) A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft. (b) The hollow, metallic ball of a self-acting faucet, which floats upon the water in a cistern or boiler. (c) The cork or quill used in angling, to support the bait line, and indicate the bite of a fish. (d) Anything used to buoy up whatever is liable to sink; an inflated bag or pillow used by persons learning to swim; a life preserver. (e) The hollow, metallic ball which floats on the fuel in the fuel tank of a vehicle to indicate the level of the fuel surface, and thus the amount of fuel remaining. (f) A hollow elongated tank mounted under the wing of a seaplane which causes the plane to float when resting on the surface of the water.

    Etymology: [OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. flota ship, fr. fletan to float; akin to D. vloot fleet, G. floss raft, Icel. floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. flotta. 84. See Fleet, v. i., and cf. Flotilla, Flotsam, Plover.]

Wiktionary

  1. floatnoun

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

    Attach the float and the weight to the fishing line, above the hook.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  2. floatnoun

    A tool similar to a rasp, used in various trades

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  3. floatnoun

    A sort of trowel used for finishing concrete surfaces.

    When pouring a new driveway, you can use a two-by-four as a float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  4. floatnoun

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

    That float covered in roses is very pretty.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  5. floatnoun

    A small battery-powered vehicle used for local deliveries, especially in the term milk float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  6. floatnoun

    Funds committed to be paid but not yet paid.

    Our bank does a nightly sweep of accounts, to adjust the float so we stay within our reserves limit.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  7. floatnoun

    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.

    2006, You don't actually need a broker to buy shares in a float when a company is about to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. uE00026976uE001 Australian Securities and Investments Commission financial tips article, Buying shares in a float

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  8. floatnoun

    The total amount of checks/cheques or other drafts written against a bank account but not yet cleared and charged against the account.

    No sir, your current float is not taken into account, when assets are legally garnished.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  9. floatnoun

    Premiums taken in but not yet paid out.

    We make a lot of interest from our nightly float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  10. floatverb

    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.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  11. floatverb

    To cause something to be suspended in a liquid of greater density; as, to float a boat.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  12. floatverb

    To be capable of floating.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  13. floatverb

    To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating

    I'd love to just float downstream.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  14. floatverb

    To drift or wander aimlessly.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  15. floatverb

    To drift gently through the air.

    The balloon floated off into the distance.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  16. floatverb

    To move in a fluid manner.

    The dancer floated gracefully around the stage.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  17. floatverb

    (of an idea or scheme) To be viable.

    That's a daft idea... it'll never float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  18. floatverb

    To propose (an idea) for consideration.

    I floated the idea of free ice-cream on Fridays, but no one was interested.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  19. floatnoun

    Short form of floating-point number.

    That routine should not have used an int; it should be a float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  20. floatnoun

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

    It's true - I don't consider anything other than root-beer with vanilla ice-cream to be a "real" float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  21. floatnoun

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

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  22. floatnoun

    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.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  23. floatverb

    To automatically adjust a parameter as related parameters change.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  24. floatverb

    (of currencies) To have an exchange value determined by the markets as opposed to by rule.

    The yen floats against the dollar.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  25. floatverb

    To allow (the exchange value of a currency) to be determined by the markets.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  26. floatverb

    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.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  27. floatverb

    To use a float (tool).

    It is time to float this horse's teeth.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

  28. floatverb

    To perform a float.

    Etymology: From floten, from flotian, from flutōnan, from pleud-. Cognate with vloten, vlotten, Middle Dutch vloten, Old Norse flota, Icelandic fljóta, fleotan.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Floatverb

    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

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  2. Floatverb

    a mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  3. Floatverb

    the hollow, metallic ball of a self-acting faucet, which floats upon the water in a cistern or boiler

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  4. Floatverb

    the cork or quill used in angling, to support the bait line, and indicate the bite of a fish

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  5. Floatverb

    anything used to buoy up whatever is liable to sink; an inflated bag or pillow used by persons learning to swim; a life preserver

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  6. Floatverb

    a float board. See Float board (below)

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  7. Floatverb

    a contrivance for affording a copious stream of water to the heated surface of an object of large bulk, as an anvil or die

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  8. Floatverb

    the act of flowing; flux; flow

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  9. Floatverb

    a quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  10. Floatverb

    the trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  11. Floatverb

    a polishing block used in marble working; a runner

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  12. Floatverb

    a single-cut file for smoothing; a tool used by shoemakers for rasping off pegs inside a shoe

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  13. Floatverb

    a coal cart

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  14. Floatverb

    the sea; a wave. See Flote, n

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  15. Floatnoun

    to rest on the surface of any fluid; to swim; to be buoyed up

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  16. Floatnoun

    to move quietly or gently on the water, as a raft; to drift along; to move or glide without effort or impulse on the surface of a fluid, or through the air

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  17. Floatverb

    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

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  18. Floatverb

    to flood; to overflow; to cover with water

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  19. Floatverb

    to pass over and level the surface of with a float while the plastering is kept wet

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

  20. Floatverb

    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

    Etymology: [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fletan. See Float, n.]

Freebase

  1. Float

    A float is a decorated platform, either built on a vehicle or towed behind one, which is a component of many festive parades, such as those of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Carnival of Viareggio, the Maltese Carnival, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Key West Fantasy Fest parade, the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, the United States Presidential Inaugural Parade, and the Tournament of Roses Parade. For the latter event, floats are decorated entirely in flowers or other plant material.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Float

    flōt, v.i. to swim on a liquid: to be buoyed up: to move lightly and irregularly: to circulate, as a rumour: to drift about aimlessly.—v.t. to cause to swim: to cover with water: to set agoing.—n. anything swimming on water: a raft: the cork or quill on a fishing-line: a plasterer's trowel.—adj. Float′able.—ns. Float′age, Flot′age, the floating capacity of a thing: anything that floats; Float′-board, a board on the rim of an undershot water-wheel on which the water acts and moves the wheel; Float′er.—adj. Float′ing, swimming: not fixed: circulating.—n. action of the verb float: the spreading of plaster on the surface of walls.—ns. Float′ing-batt′ery, a vessel or hulk heavily armed, used in the defence of harbours or in attacks on marine fortresses; Float′ing-bridge, a bridge of rafts or beams of timber lying on the surface of the water; Float′ing-dock (see Dock); Float′ing-is′land, an aggregation of driftwood, roots, &c., capable of bearing soil, floated out from a river delta or the like; Float′ing-light, a ship, bearing a light, moored on sunken rocks, to warn seamen of danger.—adv. Float′ingly.—n. Float′-stone, a porous, sponge-like variety of quartz, so light as to float for a while on water.—adj. Float′y. [A.S. flotian, to float; Ice. flota.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. float

    [Anglo-Saxon fleot or fleet]. A place where vessels float, as at Northfleet. Also, the inner part of a ship-canal. In wet-docks ships are kept afloat while loading and discharging cargo. Two double gates, having a lock between them, allow the entry and departure of vessels without disturbing the inner level. Also, a raft or quantity of timber fastened together, to be floated along a river by a tide or current.

Suggested Resources

  1. float

    Song lyrics by float -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by float on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Verbs Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'float' in Verbs Frequency: #735

Anagrams for float »

  1. aloft

How to pronounce float?

  1. Alex
    US English
    Daniel
    British
    Karen
    Australian
    Veena
    Indian

How to say float in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of float in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of float in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of float in a Sentence

  1. House Speaker John Boehner:

    And there's a lot of good ideas and a lot of bad ideas that float through here. But it's, in my view, a misconception of the so-called special interests.

  2. Dirk Graber:

    In the next 18 to 36 months we will either float on the stock exchange or sell a majority to a strategic investor.

  3. RVM:

    Our Life is like a Boat that can Float. Some Row and Go! Some Blink and Sink!!- RVM

  4. Japanese Proverb, Also quoted in the movie Rising Sun:

    If you sit by the river long enough, you will see the body of your enemy float by.

  5. Joe Antos:

    This is one of a lot of ideas that he's willing to float trial balloons on, whether or not they get in the air is another matter.

Images & Illustrations of float

  1. floatfloatfloatfloatfloat

Popularity rank by frequency of use

float#1#6803#10000

Translations for float

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • يطفوArabic
  • ҡалҡыуысBashkir
  • пла́ваць, папла́ваць, паплы́ць, плыцьBelarusian
  • държа се на повърхността, нося се, плавам, буй, поплавък, мистрияBulgarian
  • flotarCatalan, Valencian
  • plout, plavatCzech
  • schwimmen, schweben, gleiten, treiben, begeben, borgen, Schwimmer, Floß, Festwagen, FloatGerman
  • φελλόςGreek
  • flotar, carrozaSpanish
  • شناورPersian
  • leijua, kellua, [[pysyä]] [[pinnalla]], lipua, ehdottaa, heittää, yleinen osakeanti, höyläraspi, raspi, paraatiauto, käteiskassa, liukuluku, pohjakassa, koho, kelluke, hierrinFinnish
  • flotter, flottant, flotteur, char, float, nombre flottantFrench
  • flotarGalician
  • lebeg, úszikHungarian
  • galleggiareItalian
  • 漂う, 飛ぶ, 浮遊する, 超える, 浮かぶ, 浮く, 浮揚物, 浮きJapanese
  • អន្ដែតKhmer
  • ಫ್ಲೋಟ್Kannada
  • 흙손Korean
  • fluctuo, floatLatin
  • tekėti, plūduriuoti, plaukti, plūdė, plaustasLithuanian
  • mānu, kārewaMāori
  • امبڠ, ambangMalay
  • မျောBurmese
  • drijven, vloeien, meedrijven, te water laten, voorstellen, vlot, soort truweel, vlottende kommagetal, rasp, vijl, praalwagenDutch
  • flutuar, pairar, boiar, boiaPortuguese
  • tuytuy, wamp'uyQuechua
  • flottarRomansh
  • pluti, plută, plutitorRomanian
  • всплыть, [[держа́ться]] [[на]] [[вода, плыть, плавать, всплывать, пари́ть, дре́йфовать, поплаво́к, мастеро́к, платфо́рма, плот, глади́лка, прави́лоRussian
  • plovakSerbo-Croatian
  • flyta, sväva, flöteSwedish
  • తేలుTelugu
  • ลอยThai
  • 浮动Chinese

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    someone who takes the place of another person
    • A. dangerous
    • B. obnoxious
    • C. handsome
    • D. alternate

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