/ fləʊt; NAmE floʊt/ verb , noun
■ verb
ON WATER / IN AIR
1.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to move slowly on water or in the air
SYN drift :
A group of swans floated by.
The smell of new bread floated up from the kitchen.
Beautiful music came floating out of the window.
( figurative )
An idea suddenly floated into my mind.
( figurative )
People seem to float in and out of my life.
2.
[ v ] float (in / on sth) to stay on or near the surface of a liquid and not sink :
Wood floats.
A plastic bag was floating in the water.
Can you float on your back?
3.
[ vn ] to make sth move on or near the surface of a liquid :
There wasn't enough water to float the ship.
They float the logs down the river to the towns.
WALK LIGHTLY
4.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] ( literary ) to walk or move in a smooth and easy way
SYN glide :
She floated down the steps to greet us.
SUGGEST IDEA
5.
[ vn ] to suggest an idea or a plan for other people to consider :
They floated the idea of increased taxes on alcohol.
BUSINESS / ECONOMICS
6.
[ vn ] ( business ) to sell shares in a company or business to the public for the first time :
The company was floated on the stock market in 2001.
Shares were floated at 585p.
7.
[ vn , v ] ( economics ) if a government floats its country's money or allows it to float , it allows its value to change freely according to the value of the money of other countries
•
IDIOMS
- float sb's boat
—more at air noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- float about / around
■ noun
VEHICLE
1.
a large vehicle on which people dressed in special costumes are carried in a festival :
a carnival float
IN FISHING
2.
a small light object attached to a fishing line that stays on the surface of the water and moves when a fish has been caught
FOR SWIMMING
3.
a light object that floats in the water and is held by a person who is learning to swim to stop them from sinking
DRINK
4.
( NAmE ) a drink with ice cream floating in it :
a Coke float
MONEY
5.
( especially BrE ) a sum of money consisting of coins and notes of low value that is given to sb before they start selling things so that they can give customers change
BUSINESS
6.
= flotation
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English flotian (verb), of Germanic origin and related to fleet move or pass quickly , reinforced in Middle English by Old French floter , also from Germanic .