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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

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.
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This reform bill . . . had been used as a float
by the conservative ministry. --J. P.
Peters.
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2. A float board. See {Float board} (below).
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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.
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4. The act of flowing; flux; flow. [Obs.] --Bacon.
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5. A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot
deep. [Obs.] --Mortimer.
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6. (Plastering) The trowel or tool with which the floated
coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed.
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7. A polishing block used in marble working; a runner.
--Knight.
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8. A single-cut file for smoothing; a tool used by shoemakers
for rasping off pegs inside a shoe.
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9. A coal cart. [Eng.] --Simmonds.
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10. The sea; a wave. See {Flote}, n.
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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.
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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.
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{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) .
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Float \Float\, v. t.
1. To cause to float; to cause to rest or move on the surface
of a fluid; as, the tide floated the ship into the harbor.
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Had floated that bell on the Inchcape rock.
--Southey.
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2. To flood; to overflow; to cover with water.
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Proud Pactolus floats the fruitful lands. --Dryden.
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3. (Plastering) To pass over and level the surface of with a
float while the plastering is kept wet.
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4. To support and sustain the credit of, as a commercial
scheme or a joint-stock company, so as to enable it to go
into, or continue in, operation.
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Float \Float\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Floated}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Floating}.] [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float,
swim, fr. fle['o]tan. See {Float}, n.]
1. To rest on the surface of any fluid; to swim; to be buoyed
up.
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The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground.
--Milton.
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Three blustering nights, borne by the southern
blast,
I floated. --Dryden.
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2. To move quietly or gently on the water, as a raft; to
drift along; to move or glide without effort or impulse on
the surface of a fluid, or through the air.
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They stretch their broad plumes and float upon the
wind. --Pope.
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There seems a floating whisper on the hills.
--Byron.
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