float

floatverb

To float is to stay up or move gently without sinking or falling; an idea that is floated is put forward lightly for others to consider.

1. on liquidstay on the top of a liquid without sinking

   intransitive [I] verb + adverb or preposition [V + adv/prep]

   • Wood floats on water. V + adv/prep
   • Dead leaves were floating on the lake. V + adv/prep
   • Can you float on your back? V + adv/prep

   Collocations

   verb + preposition float on water, float on your back

   verb + adverb float away

   Antonyms sink

2. move gentlymove slowly and gently through the air or along on water

   intransitive [I] verb + adverb or preposition [V + adv/prep]

   • A balloon floated up into the sky. V + adv/prep
   • The boat floated slowly down the river. V + adv/prep
   • Music floated through the open window. V + adv/prep

   Collocations

   verb + adverb float away, float past, float up, float down

   Synonyms drift

3. make floatmake something stay on the top of water or move along on it

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] verb + object + adverb [V + obj + adv]

   • The children floated paper boats on the pond. V + obj
   • They floated the logs down the river. V + obj + adv

   Collocations

   verb + noun float a boat, float logs

4. suggestsuggest an idea or a plan so that other people can think about it

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj]

   • She floated the idea of working from home two days a week. V + obj
   • The plan was first floated last year. V + obj (passive)

   Collocations

   verb + noun float an idea, float a plan, float a suggestion

5. a companystart selling shares in a company to the public for the first time

   American English more often says that a company goes public.

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] usually passive [usually passive] Britishbusiness

   • The company was floated on the stock market. V + obj (passive)
   • They plan to float the business next year. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + noun float a company, float a business