Float (?), n.[OE. flote ship, boat, fleet, AS. flota ship, fr. fleotan 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 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.
This reform bill . . . had been used as a float by the conservative ministry.
J. P. Peters.
2.
A float board. See Float board (below).
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.
4.
The act of flowing; flux; flow.
[Obs.]
Bacon.
5.
A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep.
[Obs.]
Mortimer.
6. Plastering
The trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled and smoothed.
7.
A polishing block used in marble working; a runner.
Knight.
8.
A single-cut file for smoothing; a tool used by shoemakers for rasping off pegs inside a shoe.
9.
A coal cart.
[Eng.]
Simmonds.
10.
The sea; a wave. See Flote, n.
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 ∨ 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).
© Webster 1913.
Float, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Floated; p. pr. & vb. n. Floating.] [OE. flotien, flotten, AS. flotian to float, swim, fr. fleotan. See Float, n.]
1.
To rest on the surface of any fluid; to swim; to be buoyed up.
The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground.
Milton.
Three blustering nights, borne by the southern blast,
I floated.
Dryden.
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.
They stretch their broad plumes and float upon the wind.
Pope.
There seems a floating whisper on the hills.
Byron.
© Webster 1913.
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.
Had floated that bell on the Inchcape rock.
Southey.
2.
To flood; to overflow; to cover with water.
Proud Pactolus floats the fruitful lands.
Dryden.
3. Plastering
To pass over and level the surface of with a float while the plastering is kept wet.
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.
© Webster 1913.