- Float
- Float Float (fl[=o]t), n.[OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS.
flota ship, fr. fle['o]tan to float; akin to D. vloot fleet,
G. floss raft, Icel. floti float, raft, fleet, Sw. flotta.
[root] 84. See {Fleet}, v. i., and cf. {Flotilla}, {Flotsam},
{Plover}.]
1. Anything which floats or rests on the surface of a fluid,
as to sustain weight, or to indicate the height of the
liquid surface, or mark the place of, something.
Specifically:
(a) A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and
conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft.
(b) The hollow, metallic ball of a self-acting faucet,
which floats upon the water in a cistern or boiler.
(c) The cork or quill used in angling, to support the bait
line, and indicate the bite of a fish.
(d) Anything used to buoy up whatever is liable to sink;
an inflated bag or pillow used by persons learning to
swim; a life preserver.
(e) The hollow, metallic ball which floats on the fuel in
the fuel tank of a vehicle to indicate the level of
the fuel surface, and thus the amount of fuel
remaining.
(f) A hollow elongated tank mounted under the wing of a
seaplane which causes the plane to float when resting
on the surface of the water.
[1913 Webster +PJC]
This reform bill . . . had been used as a float by the conservative ministry. --J. P. Peters. [1913 Webster]
2. A float board. See {Float board} (below). [1913 Webster]
3. (Tempering) A contrivance for affording a copious stream of water to the heated surface of an object of large bulk, as an anvil or die. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
4. The act of flowing; flux; flow. [Obs.] --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
5. A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep. [Obs.] --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]
6. (Plastering) The trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed. [1913 Webster]
7. A polishing block used in marble working; a runner. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
8. A single-cut file for smoothing; a tool used by shoemakers for rasping off pegs inside a shoe. [1913 Webster]
9. A coal cart. [Eng.] --Simmonds. [1913 Webster]
10. The sea; a wave. See {Flote}, n. [1913 Webster]
11. (Banking) The free use of money for a time between occurrence of a transaction (such as depositing a check or a purchase made using a credit card), and the time when funds are withdrawn to cover the transaction; also, the money made available between transactions in that manner. [PJC]
12. a vehicle on which an exhibit or display is mounted, driven or pulled as part of a parade. The float often is based on a large flat platform, and may contain a very elaborate structure with a tableau or people. [PJC]
{Float board}, one of the boards fixed radially to the rim of an undershot water wheel or of a steamer's paddle wheel; -- a vane.
{Float case} (Naut.), a caisson used for lifting a ship.
{Float copper} or {Float gold} (Mining), fine particles of metallic copper or of gold suspended in water, and thus liable to be lost.
{Float ore}, water-worn particles of ore; fragments of vein material found on the surface, away from the vein outcrop. --Raymond.
{Float stone} (Arch.), a siliceous stone used to rub stonework or brickwork to a smooth surface.
{Float valve}, a valve or cock acted upon by a float. See {Float}, 1 (b) . [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
