Meaning & Definition of Float in English
Float
noun
1. The time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment
- float
2. The number of shares outstanding and available for trading by the public
- float
3. A drink with ice cream floating in it
- ice-cream soda,
- ice-cream float,
- float
4. An elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade
- float
5. A hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco
- float,
- plasterer's float
6. Something that floats on the surface of water
- float
7. An air-filled sac near the spinal column in many fishes that helps maintain buoyancy
- air bladder,
- swim bladder,
- float
verb
1. 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"
- float,
- drift,
- be adrift,
- blow
2. Be afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom
- float,
- swim
3. Set afloat
- "He floated the logs down the river"
- "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond"
- float
4. Circulate or discuss tentatively
- Test the waters with
- "The republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"
- float
5. Move lightly, as if suspended
- "The dancer floated across the stage"
- float
6. Put into the water
- "Float a ship"
- float
7. Make the surface of level or smooth
- "Float the plaster"
- float
8. Allow (currencies) to fluctuate
- "The government floated the ruble for a few months"
- float
9. Convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation
- "Float data"
- float