Meaning of float In English

• 0 to stay on the surface of a liquid and not sink:

  • An empty bottle will float.

  • You can float very easily in/on the Dead Sea because it's so salty.

• 1 to (cause to) move easily through, or along the surface of a liquid, or to (cause to) move easily through air:

  • We spent a lazy afternoon floating down/along the river.

  • He tossed the bottle into the waves and watched it float out to sea.

  • The children enjoy floating their boats on the pond in the park.

  • Fluffy white clouds were floating across the sky.

  • figurative The sound of piano-playing floated out through the open window.

  • She sort of floats around, like a ballet dancer.

  • Since he lost his job, he's just floated around/about doing nothing.

• 2 to suggest a plan or an idea to be considered:

  • Laura has floated the idea that we should think about expanding into Europe next year.

• 3 to allow the value of a country's money to change according to the value of other countries' money:

  • Argentina decided to let its currency float freely against the dollar.

• 4 to start selling shares in a business or company for the first time

• 5 a small amount of money kept by someone who works in a bar, etc., used for giving customers their change

• 6 a large vehicle with a flat surface that is decorated and used in festivals:

  • carnival floats

• 7 a light object that floats on the surface of the water and is used to keep a fishing net, or the bait on a fishing line, in a particular position:

  • Fishing nets are often held in position by floats.

  • Hold the float in front of you and kick your legs.

  • A pool float has now become a holiday essential.

• 8 a drink with ice cream on the top:

  • I'll have a root beer float, please.

• 9 to stay or move easily on or over the surface of a liquid, or to cause something to move in this way:

  • [ I ] An empty bottle will float on water.

  • [ I ] I’d float around for hours, just fishing.

  • [ T ] Fill the cups with hot coffee and float heavy cream on top.

  • [ I ] We spent a lazy afternoon floating down the river.

  • [ I ] fig. She removes the pins and her hair floats (= moves gracefully) down around her.

  • [ I ] fig. Reports have been floating around (= heard from various people) that the company might be for sale.

  • [ I ] Fluffy white clouds were floating across the sky.

• 10 to sell bonds (= official papers given to people who lend money to a government or company):

  • Cities float bond issues that are payable from property taxes.

• 11 a large vehicle that is decorated and used in parades (= public celebrations in which people march, walk, and ride along a planned route):

  • Marching bands and elaborate floats will be featured in the parade.

• 12 a sweet drink with ice cream floating in it:

  • a root beer float

• 13 a piece of light material that stays on the surface of water:

  • the float in a toilet tank

• 14 to offer new shares or bonds for sale on a financial market:

  • The authority has recently floated a $170 million bond to pay for some of the installation costs.

• 15 to sell shares on a stock market for the first time in order to finance a new company:

  • There are several new businesses looking to float.

  • float (sth) on the stock market/stock exchange etc. The group is planning to float on the New York Stock Exchange later this year.

  • float at $3/200p/ etc. (a share) The stock was floated at 233p a share last July and closed up 3.75p last night at 286.25p.

  • Last January the chief executive said he would only float the company if there was a "dramatic" revival in the market.

• 16 if a country floats its currency, or if the currency floats, the government no longer controls its value in relation to the value of other currencies:

  • Central Bank is planning to stop letting the peso float freely.

• 17 to make a suggestion, especially one for doing something that is different from what has been done in the past:

  • float an idea/proposal/suggestion The partnership idea was floated at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing last year.

• 18 if a price or amount floats, it changes:

  • In the space of a few weeks, stock valuation floated up by 15%.

• 19 a situation in which a company offers shares for sale on a stock market for the first time:

  • The stock has been one of the great out-performers of recent times, rising more than 90% since the company's float 11 years ago.

  • The planned flotation of the new Internet portal has been postponed.

  • a $90 billion/£350 million, etc. float Bank of China is poised to file for $8 bn float.

  • Shares are currently below their 330p-a-share float price.

  • Companies must file an initial registration statement under the Exchange Act before commencing a public float.

• 20 a situation in which a government no longer controls the value of its country's currency in relation to the value of other currencies:

  • The float of the currency triggered a period of turbulence in Asian financial markets.

• 21 money that becomes available for a bank to spend before customers' cheques are paid:

  • The speed of electronic processing has all but eliminated the need for float.

• 22 cash that is available to give as change to customers at the start of business each day

• 23 →  petty cash