Life buoy

Life buoy
Buoy Buoy (bwoi or boi; 277), n. [D. boei buoy, fetter, fr. OF. boie, buie, chain, fetter, F. bou['e]e a buoy, from L. boia. ``Boiae genus vinculorum tam ferreae quam ligneae.'' --Festus. So called because chained to its place.] (Naut.) A float; esp. a floating object moored to the bottom, to mark a channel or to point out the position of something beneath the water, as an anchor, shoal, rock, etc. [1913 Webster]

{Anchor buoy}, a buoy attached to, or marking the position of, an anchor.

{Bell buoy}, a large buoy on which a bell is mounted, to be rung by the motion of the waves.

{Breeches buoy}. See under {Breeches}.

{Cable buoy}, an empty cask employed to buoy up the cable in rocky anchorage.

{Can buoy}, a hollow buoy made of sheet or boiler iron, usually conical or pear-shaped.

{Life buoy}, a float intended to support persons who have fallen into the water, until a boat can be dispatched to save them.

{Nut buoy} or {Nun buoy}, a buoy large in the middle, and tapering nearly to a point at each end.

{To stream the buoy}, to let the anchor buoy fall by the ship's side into the water, before letting go the anchor.

{Whistling buoy}, a buoy fitted with a whistle that is blown by the action of the waves. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Life buoy — Life Life (l[imac]f), n.; pl. {Lives} (l[imac]vz). [AS. l[imac]f; akin to D. lijf body, G. leib body, MHG. l[imac]p life, body, OHG. l[imac]b life, Icel. l[imac]f, life, body, Sw. lif, Dan. liv, and E. live, v. [root]119. See {Live}, and cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • life buoy — n. a life preserver in the shape of a ring …   English World dictionary

  • life buoy — life .buoy n a large ring made out of material that floats, which you throw to someone who has fallen in the water, to prevent them from drowning …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • life buoy — noun a life preserver in the form of a ring of buoyant material • Syn: ↑lifesaver, ↑life belt, ↑life ring • Hypernyms: ↑life preserver, ↑preserver, ↑flotation device • Hyponyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • life buoy — life′ bu oy n. naut. navig. any of various buoyant devices for supporting a person fallen into the water • Etymology: 1795–1805 …   From formal English to slang

  • life-buoy — noun torus shaped object of density low enough to keep a person, which usually slips his head, shoulders, and arms through it, afloat. Often coloured white and bright red to be seen from great distance and in adverse weather or light conditions.… …   Wiktionary

  • life buoy — noun Date: 1801 a ring shaped life preserver …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • life buoy — any of variously formed buoyant devices for supporting a person fallen into the water. * * * …   Universalium

  • life buoy — noun (C) a large ring made out of material that floats, which you throw to someone who has fallen in the water, to prevent them from drowning …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • Buoy — (bwoi or boi; 277), n. [D. boei buoy, fetter, fr. OF. boie, buie, chain, fetter, F. bou[ e]e a buoy, from L. boia. Boiae genus vinculorum tam ferreae quam ligneae. Festus. So called because chained to its place.] (Naut.) A float; esp. a floating… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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