Float stone

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of a transaction (such as depositing a check or a purchase made using a credit card), and the time when funds are withdrawn to cover the transaction; also, the money made available between transactions in that manner.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]