fləut v. & n. --v. 1 intr. & tr. a rest or
move or
cause (a
buoyant object) to rest or move on
the surface of a
liquid without sinking. b
get afloat or set (a stranded ship) afloat. 2 intr. move
with a liquid or
current of
air;
drift (the clouds floated
high up). 3 intr. colloq. a move in a
leisurely or
casual way (floated
about humming quietly). b (often foll. by before)
hover before the
eye or
mind (the
prospect of
lunch floated before them). 4 intr. (often foll. by in) move or be suspended freely in a liquid or a
gas. 5 tr. a
bring (a
company,
scheme, etc.)
into being; launch. b
offer (stock, shares, etc.) on the
stock market. 6
Commerce a intr. (of currency) be allowed to
have a fluctuating
exchange rate. b tr. cause (currency) to float. c intr. (of an acceptance) be in
circulation. 7 tr. (of
water etc.)
support; bear
along (a buoyant object). 8 intr. & tr.
circulate or cause (a
rumour or idea) to circulate. 9 tr.
waft (a buoyant object)
through the air. 10 tr.
archaic cover with liquid;
inundate. --n. 1 a
thing that floats, esp.: a a raft. b a
cork or
quill on a fishing-line as an
indicator of a fish
biting. c a cork supporting the
edge of a fishing-net. d the
hollow or inflated
part or
organ supporting a fish etc. in the water; an air
bladder. e a hollow
structure fixed
underneath an
aircraft enabling it to float on water. f a
floating device on the surface of water,
petrol,
etc., controlling the
flow. 2 a
small vehicle or
cart,
esp.
one powered by
electricity (milk float). 3 a
platform mounted on a
lorry and carrying a
display in a
procession etc. 4 a a
sum of
money used at the
beginning of a
period of selling in a
shop, a
féte, etc. to
provide change. b a small sum of money
for minor expenditure;
petty cash. 5 Theatr. (in
sing. or pl.)
footlights. 6 a
tool used for smoothing
plaster. øfloat-board one of the boards of a water-wheel or paddle-wheel. float
glass a kind of glass
made by
drawing the
molten glass continuously on to a surface of molten
metal for
hardening. float process the process used to
make float glass. float-stone a
light,
porous stone that floats. øøfloatable adj. floatability n. [OE flot, flotian float, OE flota
ship, ON flota, floti rel. to
FLEET(5): in ME infl. by OF floter]
