Definition of float - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
driftintr. move gently through the air or waterintr.
- The balloon floats away in the breeze.
2.
physicsintr. stay on the surface of a liquid without sinkingintr.
- Leaves float gently on the river..
3.
proposaltr. propose an idea for considerationtr.
- She decided to float the idea during the meeting..
4.
graceful movementintr. move lightly and gracefullyintr.
- She seemed to float across the dance floor.
5.
public listingtr. UK offer shares of a company for sale on the stock markettr. UK
- The company plans to float on the stock market next year..
6.
technologytr. TECH. position an element so it appears beside other contenttr. TECH.
- The image was floated to the right of the text.
7.
exchange ratestr. allow currency value to change freelytr.
- The government decided to float the currency.
8.
constructiontr. Rare UK spread plaster over a surfacetr. Rare UK
- He floated the wall to make it smooth.
Noun
1.
celebrationelaborate vehicle for display in a parade
- The float was beautifully decorated for the parade.
2.
fishingsmall object on a fishing line indicating a catch
- The float bobbed up and down in the water.
3.
constructiontool for smoothing concrete or plaster
- He used a float to finish the plaster wall.
4.
beverageUS soft drink with ice cream floating in itUS
- I ordered a root beer float at the diner.
5.
cash on handUK amount of money available for transactionsUK
- The cashier ensured the register had enough float for change..
6.
technologyTECH. floating-point number in programmingTECH.
- The variable was stored as a float.
7.
biologyair-filled sac in fish for buoyancy
- The fish's float helps it maintain buoyancy.
8.
delivery vehicleDated UK small delivery vehicle, especially for milkDated UK
- The milk float made its rounds early in the morning.
Images of float
elaborate vehicle for display in a parade 
small object on a fishing line indicating a catch 
tool for smoothing concrete or plaster 
soft drink with ice cream floating in it
Expressions with float
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
move gently in the air or water
Leaves float around in the pond.
exchange rate system with government intervention
The country adopted a dirty float to stabilize its currency.
circulate a rumor without confirmation
She floated a rumor about the new policy changes at the meeting.
suggest an idea to see reactions
She decided to float an idea during the meeting to gauge interest.
feel extremely happy or excited
She will float on air after hearing the good news.
make someone happy or satisfied
Reading books really floats her boat.
interest or appeal to someone
Reading really floats her boat.
go along with prevailing trends or opinions
She tends to float with the current in social situations.
floating face down in water, often used for survival
He used the dead man's float to rest in the lake.
test public opinion or reaction to an idea
The company floated a trial balloon to gauge interest in the new product.
move slowly on water or in the air
The balloon began to float away into the sky.
dessert made with soda and ice cream
The kids loved the ice-cream float at the party.
scoop of ice cream in any cola drink
She loves making coke floats with cherry cola.
sweet beverage of root beer with a scoop of ice cream
After dinner, we enjoyed a refreshing root beer float..
obtain a loan from a financial institution
The company decided to float a loan to expand its operations.
small inflatable craft for fishing
He caught a big fish from his float tube.
move gracefully and quickly to avoid or dodge
He can float like a butterfly around his opponents.
electric vehicle for delivering milk to houses
The milk float arrived early in the morning.
hand tool with flat face for smoothing plaster
The plasterer used a plasterer's float to smooth the wall.
way to float on your stomach
She practiced the prone float in the pool.
start selling shares of a company
They decided to float a company to raise capital.
make a bond available for sale
They plan to float a bond next month to attract investors.
holiday observed on different dates each year
The festival is a float holiday celebrated in spring.
start selling shares of one's company to the public
He decided to float his own company to raise capital.
Origin of float
Old English, flotian (to float)
Terms with float included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
angling equipment
cord used to attach bait, sometimes with leader, float, sinker, hook
environment
very small light particles of dust that easily float in the air
ice cream float
dessert with root beer and vanilla ice cream
water
float down a river on a simple flat boat
posture
float or lie with limbs spread outward in a splayed shape
floating
ability of an object to float in a fluid
float power
cause something to float in the air
magic
rise and float in the air magically
weather
float or wave in the wind
movement
float aimlessly in a liquid or air
buoyancy
rise to the surface and float
floating
able to float or rise in a fluid
fishing
small float attached to a fishing line
float
move passively with the current
medical
liquid medicine for swallowing where tiny solid drug particles float in liquid
boating
long float attached to a canoe for balance
movement
float gently through the air or water
water current
carry or let objects float along in water currents
aeronautics
lightweight balloon heated by fire to float in the air
water safety
equipment that helps people float in water
boats submarines
enclosed space filled with air to help something float
transportation
train that uses magnetic forces to float above tracks
watercraft
canoe with side float for balance on water
maritime
depth of water needed to float a ship
Examples of float in a sentence
The paper boat began to float across the pond. A paper boat can float on the pond. Oil will float on water. He decided to float a new proposal. They will float the idea at the next conference. The leaves float gently to the ground.
Her voice seemed to float through the air. They decided to float their shares to raise capital. Several startups are planning to float this quarter. The button was floated to the top of the page. They floated the sidebar to improve layout. The central bank decided to float the national currency. They chose to float the exchange rate to stabilize the economy. The mason floated the ceiling with precision. She expertly floated the plaster on the new wall. The float won first prize at the festival. Children waved from the float during the parade. He watched the float for any movement. A fish tugged at the line, moving the float. The mason grabbed a float to smooth the wet concrete. A float is essential for achieving a polished finish on plaster. She enjoyed a creamy float on a hot day. The menu featured a chocolate float for dessert. The store manager checked the float before opening. They counted the float at the end of the day. He converted the integer to a float for precision. The software uses a float to handle decimal values. The biologist studied the fish's float under the microscope. Damage to the float can affect the fish's survival. The dairy float stopped outside our house. A float delivered bottles before dawn.
View all translations of float
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:flotter, char, ...
- German:schweben, Festwagen, ...
- Italian:fluttuare, carro allegorico, ...
- Spanish:flotar, carroza, ...
- Portuguese:flutuar, carro alegórico, ...
- Chinese:漂浮, 花车, ...
- Japanese:漂う, 山車, ...
- Arabic:طفا, عَرَبَة مُزَيَّنَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְרַחֵף, קָרוֹנִית תַּהֲלוּכָה, ...
- Russian:плыть, платформа, ...
- Ukrainian:плисти, платформа, ...
- Hindi:बहना, फ्लोट, ...
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