float
1. [ verb ] be in motion due to some air or water current
Synonyms: drift blow be_adrift
Examples:

"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"

Related terms: travel stream drift tide drift gust
2. [ verb ] be afloat; stay on a liquid surface; not sink
Synonyms: swim
Related terms: sink travel buoy floater flotation floater floating
3. [ verb ] (transportation) set afloat
Examples:

"He floated the logs down the river" "The boy floated his toy boat on the pond"

Related terms: transport refloat drift tide
4. [ noun ] the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank and its payment
Related terms: time_interval
5. [ verb ] allow (currencies) to fluctuate
Examples:

"The government floated the ruble for a few months"

Related terms: value
6. [ noun ] (food) a drink with ice cream floating in it
Synonyms: ice-cream_float ice-cream_soda
Related terms: drink root_beer_float
7. [ verb ] circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with
Examples:

"The Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"

Related terms: test
8. [ verb ] convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point notation
Examples:

"float data"

Related terms: convert
9. [ verb ] (nautical) put into the water
Examples:

"float a ship"

Related terms: launch flotation
10. [ verb ] move lightly, as if suspended
Examples:

"The dancer floated across the stage"

Related terms: travel ride
11. [ noun ] an elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade
Related terms: display
12. [ noun ] a hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco
Synonyms: plasterer's_float
Related terms: hand_tool
13. [ noun ] (finance,stock exchange,business) the number of shares outstanding and available for trading by the public
Related terms: stock
14. [ verb ] make the surface of level or smooth
Examples:

"float the plaster"

Related terms: smooth masonry
15. [ noun ] something that remains on the surface of a liquid
Related terms: artifact raft chip pontoon life_preserver bob
Similar spelling:   floaty
  flat
  Flatt
  flit
  flute
  flout
  flood
  Flett
  Fleta
  fleet
  Flythe
  Fluitt
  flawed