float
noun
- 1
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.”
- 2
A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft.
- 3
A float board.
- 4
A tool similar to a rasp, used in various trades.
- 5
A sort of trowel used for finishing concrete surfaces or smoothing plaster.
“When pouring a new driveway, you can use a two-by-four as a float.”
- 6
An elaborately decorated trailer or vehicle, intended for display in a parade or pageant.
“That float covered in roses is very pretty.”
- 7
A small vehicle used for local deliveries, especially in the term milk float.
- 8
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.”
- 9
(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.
- 10
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.”
- 11
Premiums taken in but not yet paid out.
“We make a lot of interest from our nightly float.”
- 12
A floating-point number, especially one that has lower precision than a double.
“That routine should not have used an int; it should be a float.”
- 13
A soft beverage with a scoop of 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.”
- 14
A small sum of money put in a cashier's till at the start of business to enable change to be made.
- 15
A maneuver where a player calls on the flop or turn with a weak hand, with the intention of bluffing after a subsequent community card.
- 16
One of the loose ends of yarn on an unfinished work.
- 17
A car carrier or car transporter truck or truck-and-trailer combination
- 18
A lowboy trailer
- 19
(tempering) A device sending a copious stream of water to the heated surface of a bulky object, such as an anvil or die.
- 20
The act of flowing; flux; flow.
- 21
A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep.
- 22
A polishing block used in marble working; a runner.
- 23
A coal cart.
- 24
A breakdancing move in which the body is held parallel to the floor while balancing on one or both hands.
- 25
A visual style on a web page that causes the styled elements to float above or beside others.
Synonyms
verb
- 1
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.
“The boat floated on the water.”
- 2
To cause something to be suspended in a liquid of greater density.
“to float a boat”
- 3
To be capable of floating.
“Oil floats on vinegar.”
- 4
To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating
“I’d love to just float downstream.”
- 5
To drift or wander aimlessly.
“Images from my childhood floated through my mind.”
- 6
To drift gently through the air.
“The balloon floated off into the distance.”
- 7
To move in a fluid manner.
“The dancer floated gracefully around the stage.”
- 8
To circulate.
“There's a rumour floating around the office that Jan is pregnant.”
- 9
(of an idea or scheme) To be viable.
“That’s a daft idea... it’ll never float.”
- 10
To propose (an idea) for consideration.
“I floated the idea of free ice-cream on Fridays, but no one was interested.”
- 11
To automatically adjust a parameter as related parameters change.
- 12
(of currencies) To have an exchange value determined by the markets as opposed to by rule.
“The yen floats against the dollar.”
- 13
To allow (the exchange value of a currency) to be determined by the markets.
“Increased pressure on Thailand’s currency, the baht, in 1997 led to a crisis that forced the government to float the currency.”
- 14
To extend a short-term loan to.
“Could you float me $50 until payday?”
- 15
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.
“2007, Jonathan Reuvid, Floating Your Company: The Essential Guide to Going Public.”
- 16
To spread plaster over (a surface), using the tool called a float.
- 17
To use a float (rasp-like tool) upon.
“It is time to float this horse's teeth.”
- 18
To transport by float (vehicular trailer).
- 19
To perform a float.
- 20
To cause (an element within a document) to float above or beside others.
Translate “float” to another language
Click any language to open the translator with this word already filled in.