FLOAT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does float mean? 

• FLOAT (noun)
  The noun FLOAT has 7 senses:

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

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

3. a drink with ice cream floating in it

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

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

6. something that floats on the surface of water

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

  Familiarity information: FLOAT used as a noun is common.

• FLOAT (verb)
  The verb FLOAT has 9 senses:

1. be in motion due to some air or water current

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

3. set afloat

4. circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with

5. move lightly, as if suspended

6. put into the water

7. make the surface of level or smooth

8. allow (currencies) to fluctuate

9. convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation

  Familiarity information: FLOAT used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FLOAT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

interval; time interval (a definite length of time marked off by two instants)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

stock (the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest (equity))

Sense 3

Meaning:

A drink with ice cream floating in it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

float; ice-cream float; ice-cream soda

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

drink (a single serving of a beverage)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "float"):

root beer float (an ice-cream soda made with ice cream floating in root beer)

Sense 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

display; presentation (a visual representation of something)

Sense 5

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

float; plasterer's float

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

hand tool (a tool used with workers' hands)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Something that floats on the surface of water

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

artefact; artifact (a man-made object taken as a whole)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "float"):

bob; bobber; bobfloat; cork (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)

Derivation:

float (set afloat)

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

floaty (tending to float on a liquid or rise in air or gas)

float (put into the water)

Sense 7

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

air bladder; float; swim bladder

Hypernyms ("float" is a kind of...):

sac (a structure resembling a bag in an animal)

• FLOAT (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be in motion due to some air or water current

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

be adrift; blow; drift; float

Context example:

the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

drift (cause to be carried by a current)

float (move lightly, as if suspended)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "float"):

waft (be driven or carried along, as by the air)

tide (be carried with the tide)

stream (to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

float; swim

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

float (move lightly, as if suspended)

float (set afloat)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "float"):

buoy (float on the surface of water)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

These cars won't float

Antonym:

sink (go under)

Derivation:

float (something that floats on the surface of water)

floatation (the phenomenon of floating (remaining on the surface of a liquid without sinking))

floater (an object that floats or is capable of floating)

floater (a swimmer who floats in the water)

floating (the act of someone who floats on the water)

flotation (the phenomenon of floating (remaining on the surface of a liquid without sinking))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Set afloat

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The boy floated his toy boat on the pond

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

transport (move something or somebody around; usually over long distances)

Verb group:

float (put into the water)

float; swim (be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "float"):

tide (cause to float with the tide)

drift (cause to be carried by a current)

refloat (set afloat again)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The girls float the wooden sticks

Derivation:

floatation; flotation (the phenomenon of floating (remaining on the surface of a liquid without sinking))

float (something that floats on the surface of water)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

essay; examine; prove; test; try; try out (put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Move lightly, as if suspended

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The dancer floated across the stage

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

be adrift; blow; drift; float (be in motion due to some air or water current)

float; swim (be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "float"):

ride (be sustained or supported or borne)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 6

Meaning:

Put into the water

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

float a ship

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

launch (propel with force)

Verb group:

float (set afloat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

float (something that floats on the surface of water)

floatation; flotation (the phenomenon of floating (remaining on the surface of a liquid without sinking))

Sense 7

Meaning:

Make the surface of level or smooth

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

float the plaster

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

smooth; smoothen (make smooth or smoother, as if by rubbing)

Domain category:

masonry (the craft of a mason)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Allow (currencies) to fluctuate

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The government floated the ruble for a few months

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

value (fix or determine the value of; assign a value to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

float data

Hypernyms (to "float" is one way to...):

change over; convert (change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

And I was alone, floating, apparently, in the midst of a grey primordial vastness.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

But there is another way to make it float, which is to fill it with hot air.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

In 2011, astronomers announced that our galaxy is likely teeming with free-floating planets.

(Lone Planetary-Mass Object Found in Family of Stars, NASA)

There would be no such sound if floating down stream.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The ice that floats in your drinks is called "Ice I."

(Ganymede may harbor 'club sandwich' of oceans and ice, NASA)

Before 2011, most of the free floating Sargassum in the ocean was primarily found in patches around the Gulf of Mexico and Sargasso Sea.

(Satellites Find Biggest Seaweed Bloom in the World, NASA)

No. They were found floating near the margin by a park-keeper.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Nearly all glacier melt occurs on the underside of the glacier beyond the grounding line, on the section floating on seawater.

(West Antarctic Glacier loss appears unstoppable, NASA)

As stellar fusion continued, its resulting UV light began to rip apart the free-floating hydrogen atoms, stripping away their electrons in a process called ionization.

(Astronomers detect ancient signal from first stars in universe, National Science Foundation)

The collapse broke off almost all of the floating portions of the glaciers, leaving the parts that are grounded on bedrock.

(Wind, Warm Water Revved Up Melting Antarctic Glaciers, NASA)