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Often undecided whether to desert a sinking ship for one that might not float, he would make up his mind to sit on the wharf for a day.
Max Aitken

Meaning of "float" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD FLOAT

Old English flotian; related to Old Norse flota , Old Saxon flotōn.
info
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF FLOAT

float  [fləʊt] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF FLOAT

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Float is a verb and can also act as a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb float in English.

WHAT DOES FLOAT MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Float

Float may refer to: ▪ Float ▪ Float, a term for execution by hypoxia ▪ Float, a fluid-level indicator used in process engineering and plumbing ▪ Float ▪ Float, a time-management device ▪ Float, a 1990 public artwork by American artist Peter Flanary ▪ Float, a tool used to cut, flatten and/or smooth wood via abrasion ▪ Float railway station, a former railway station in County Westmeath, Ireland ▪ Float voltage, an external electric potential required to keep a battery fully charged ▪ Concrete float, a finishing tool for smoothing wet concrete surfaces ▪ Public float, the total number of shares publicly owned and available for trading, after subtracting restricted shares from the total outstanding shares ▪ Valve float, a condition of an internal combustion engine ▪ an ice cream soda ▪ a term used in paleontology to describe bits of fossil bone with no apparent scientific value ▪ a rasp-like tool sporting sharp cutting teeth ▪ as used on horse teeth...

Definition of float in the English dictionary

The first definition of float in the dictionary is to rest or cause to rest on the surface of a fluid or in a fluid or space without sinking; be buoyant or cause to exhibit buoyancy. Other definition of float is to move or cause to move buoyantly, lightly, or freely across a surface or through air, water, etc; drift. Float is also to move about aimlessly, esp in the mind.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO FLOAT

PRESENT

Present
I float
you float
he/she/it floats
we float
you float
they float
Present continuous
I am floating
you are floating
he/she/it is floating
we are floating
you are floating
they are floating
Present perfect
I have floated
you have floated
he/she/it has floated
we have floated
you have floated
they have floated
Present perfect continuous
I have been floating
you have been floating
he/she/it has been floating
we have been floating
you have been floating
they have been floating
Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past
I floated
you floated
he/she/it floated
we floated
you floated
they floated
Past continuous
I was floating
you were floating
he/she/it was floating
we were floating
you were floating
they were floating
Past perfect
I had floated
you had floated
he/she/it had floated
we had floated
you had floated
they had floated
Past perfect continuous
I had been floating
you had been floating
he/she/it had been floating
we had been floating
you had been floating
they had been floating
Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future
I will float
you will float
he/she/it will float
we will float
you will float
they will float
Future continuous
I will be floating
you will be floating
he/she/it will be floating
we will be floating
you will be floating
they will be floating
Future perfect
I will have floated
you will have floated
he/she/it will have floated
we will have floated
you will have floated
they will have floated
Future perfect continuous
I will have been floating
you will have been floating
he/she/it will have been floating
we will have been floating
you will have been floating
they will have been floating
The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional
I would float
you would float
he/she/it would float
we would float
you would float
they would float
Conditional continuous
I would be floating
you would be floating
he/she/it would be floating
we would be floating
you would be floating
they would be floating
Conditional perfect
I would have float
you would have float
he/she/it would have float
we would have float
you would have float
they would have float
Conditional perfect continuous
I would have been floating
you would have been floating
he/she/it would have been floating
we would have been floating
you would have been floating
they would have been floating
Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative
you float
we let´s float
you float
The imperative is used to form commands or requests.
NONFINITE VERB FORMS
Infinitive
to float
Past participle
floated
Present Participle
floating
Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH FLOAT


afloat
əˈfləʊt
bloat
bləʊt
bobfloat
ˈbɒbˌfləʊt
clote
kləʊt
firefloat
ˈfaɪəˌfləʊt
flote
fləʊt
Fomalhaut
ˈfəʊməˌləʊt
gloat
ɡləʊt
matelote
ˈmætəˌləʊt
matelotte
ˈmætəˌləʊt
outfloat
ˌaʊtˈfləʊt
papillote
ˈpæpɪˌləʊt
pardalote
ˈpɑːdəˌləʊt
ploat
pləʊt
refloat
ˌriːˈfləʊt
tylote
ˈtaɪləʊt

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE FLOAT

flix
float chamber
float glass
float off
float plane
float-feed
floatability
floatable
floatage
floatant
floatation
floatcut file
floatel
floater
floatier
floatiest
floating
floating assets
floating charge
floating currency

WORDS THAT END LIKE FLOAT

bubble float
coat
deep throat
fishing boat
goat
have by the throat
houseboat
in the same boat
milk float
miss the boat
oat
on the coat
overcoat
petticoat
sailboat
steamboat
stick float
the Goat
throat
trench coat

Synonyms and antonyms of float in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «FLOAT»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «float» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of float
bob · coast · drift · glide · hang · hover · launch · move · offer · poise · present · promote · propose · push off · put forward · recommend · sail · sell · set up · slide · suggest · waft

Translation of «float» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF FLOAT

Find out the translation of float to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of float from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «float» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

漂流物
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

flotador
570 millions of speakers

English

float
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

नाव
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

عَوَّامَة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

плавучая масса
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

bóia
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

ভাসা
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

flotteur
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Terapung
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Schwimmkissen
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

浮き
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

부낭
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Ngambang
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

phao
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

மிதவை
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

फ्लोट
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

şamandıra
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

galleggiante
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

pływak
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

поплавець
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

obiect plutitor
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

πλωτήρας
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

float
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

simdyna
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

flottør
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of float

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «FLOAT»

The term «float» is very widely used and occupies the 8.122 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
97
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «float» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of float
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «float».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «FLOAT» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «float» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «float» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about float

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «FLOAT»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word float.
1
Chris Abani
I truly believe that writing is a continuum - so the different genres and forms are simply stops along the same continuum. Different ideas that need to be expressed sometimes require different forms for the ideas to float better. I don't write essays as often as I should.
2
Max Aitken
Often undecided whether to desert a sinking ship for one that might not float, he would make up his mind to sit on the wharf for a day.
3
Muhammad Ali
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
4
Muhammad Ali
I would say things like 'I am the greatest! I'm pretty! If you talk jive, you'll drop in five! I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! I'm pretty!' When white people heard me talking like this, some said, 'That black man talks too much. He's bragging.'
5
Julie Andrews
Sometimes opportunities float right past your nose. Work hard, apply yourself, and be ready. When an opportunity comes you can grab it.
6
Liberty Hyde Bailey
I do not yet know why plants come out of the land or float in streams, or creep on rocks or roll from the sea. I am entranced by the mystery of them, and absorbed by their variety and kinds. Everywhere they are visible yet everywhere occult.
7
Natalie Clifford Barney
There are intangible realities which float near us, formless and without words; realities which no one has thought out, and which are excluded for lack of interpreters.
8
John Barrymore
You can't drown yourself in drink. I've tried, you float.
9
Bryan Batt
In the dining room, next to my collection of colorful papier-mache Mardi Gras float art, hang draperies made of the New Orleans toile fabric that I designed pre-Katrina for Hazelnut.
10
Alex Chiu
Souls are not designed to float around in thin air.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «FLOAT»

Discover the use of float in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to float and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Float: A Novel
A wry tale of financial desperation, conceptual art, insanity, infertility, seagulls, marital crisis, jellyfish, organized crime, and the plight of a plastic-filled ocean, JoeAnn Hart's novel takes a smart, satirical look at family, the ...
JoeAnn Hart, 2013
2
Float
Follows the violent and absurdly comic experiences of John Paul Dubecheck, a Navy lieutenant serving in the Mekong River Delta area during the Vietnam War
David Eyre, 1990
3
Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don't Float: Classic ...
The book brings more than fifty authors and stories from classic literature back to life and online, and it is sure to have book lovers and Facebook addicts alike twittering with joy.
Sarah Schmelling, 2009
4
Float Analysis: Powerful Technical Indicators Using Price ...
Whether a novice trader, professional or somewhere in-between, these books will provide the advice and strategies needed to prosper today and well into the future. * Biggest Breakthrough since the ARMS index * Combines Gann theory with ...
Steve Woods, 2002
5
Why Do Ships Float?
Reveals the science behind buoyancy and why objects float, even if they are large cruise or military vessels. Features colorful photographs and illustrations.
Susan Meredith, 2010
6
The Boat Who Wouldn't Float
It seemed like a good idea. Tired of everyday life ashore, Farley Mowat would find a sturdy boat in Newfoundland and roam the salt sea over, free as a bird. What he found was the worst boat in the world, and she nearly drove him mad.
Farley Mowat, 2009
7
Float Your Boat!: The Evolution and Science of Sailing
Yet the large library of sailing literature leaves many of them high and dry. On one side are technical guides for America’s Cup boat-builders; on the other, simplistic books for weekend sailors with little interest in science.
Mark Denny, 2009
8
Bubbles Float, Bubbles Pop
"Simple text and photographs explain the basic science behind bubbles"--Provided by publisher.
Mark Weakland, 2011
9
The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, ...
Science has never been so easy--or so much fun! With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments.
Tom Robinson, 2001
10
Float and Sink
An introduction to the difference between floating and sinking.
Robin Nelson, 2004

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «FLOAT»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term float is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Coast Guard brings Float Down worries to city - The Times Herald
About a month before thousands of people flock to the St. Clair River for the Port Huron Float Down, the U.S. Coast Guard will address city ... «Port Huron Times Herald, Jul 15»
2
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo's TRF float a group effort - News-Sentinel …
Appropriately, you'll probably see the most animals on the float from the zoo. The zoo float will feature 10 larger, handcrafted animals ... «News Sentinel, Jul 15»
3
Shelter float helps free pets from 'jail' - White Mountain Independent …
The float is a 24-foot flatbed trailer, rebuilt by a dedicated volunteer. They put several panels of chain link dog runs (purchased at Tractor ... «White Mountain Independent, Jul 15»
4
Jim Clark 'milk float race' revival - The Southern Reporter
Successful Galashiels business man John Cleland was only 13-years-old at the time of the 'milk float race' but remembers it clearly having ... «The Southern Reporter, Jul 15»
5
Summer float - News - telegram.com - Worcester, MA
Defense rests in Colorado theater shooting trial ... Summer float. email · print. Comment. By T&G Staff/Christine Hochkeppel. telegram.com. «Worcester Telegram, Jul 15»
6
Fund manager Ben Goldsmith to float energy focused trust - FT.com
Fund manager Ben Goldsmith is stepping back from the investment group he co-founded in 2002 to float a new trust that will back companies ... «Financial Times, Jul 15»
7
Better Than Waterproof: Gadgets That Float - WSJ
Better Than Waterproof: Gadgets That Float. Amp up your poolside fun with floating speakers, cameras and walkie talkies: the Monster ... «Wall Street Journal, Jul 15»
8
156th Harrison Co. Fair Parade features cancer awareness float
You'll see a "Pink-a-Palooza" float and truck all decked out with a big, lighted sign that says "Follow us to find a cure for breast cancer.". «WHAS 11.com, Jul 15»
9
float water therapy products emerge from icelands rich bathing culture
an offspring from iceland, 'float' is a water therapy product that focuses on a deep and relaxing water experience. 'a huge part of my life has ... «Designboom, Jul 15»
10
New DTE Float To Feature In National Cherry Festival Parade …
DTE Gas has built up a brand new float for this year's festivities. DTE's president says this year's float is designed to honor four subjects ... «9&10 News, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Float [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/float>. Apr 2024 ».
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