资料来源 : pyDict

浮动,飘动,散播,摇摆,动摇;漂流物,浮舟,漂浮,浮萍,彩车

资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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
      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 or 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) .

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
      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 or 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) .

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.

            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.

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.

            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.

资料来源 : WordNet®

float
     n 1: the time interval between the deposit of a check in a bank
          and its payment
     2: the number of shares outstanding and available for trading
        by the public
     3: a drink with ice cream floating in it [syn: {ice-cream soda},
         {ice-cream float}]
     4: an elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a
        truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade
     5: a hand tool with a flat face used for smoothing and
        finishing the surface of plaster or cement or stucco [syn:
         {plasterer's float}]
     6: something that remains on the surface of a liquid

float
     v 1: be in motion due to some air or water current; "The leaves
          were blowing in the wind"; "the boat drifted on the
          lake"; "The sailboat was adrift on the open sea"; "the
          shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore" [syn: {drift},
           {be adrift}, {blow}]
     2: be afloat; stay on a liquid surface; not sink [syn: {swim}]
        [ant: {sink}]
     3: set afloat; "He floated the logs down the river"; "The boy
        floated his toy boat on the pond"
     4: circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with; "The
        Republicans are floating the idea of a tax reform"
     5: move lightly, as if suspended; "The dancer floated across
        the stage"
     6: put into the water; "float a ship"
     7: make the surface of level or smooth; "float the plaster"
     8: allow (currencies) to fluctuate; "The government floated the
        ruble for a few months"
     9: convert from a fixed point notation to a floating point
        notation; "float data"