no obj.
1
- rest or move on or near the surface of a liquid without sinking浮, 漂浮：
she relaxed, floating gently in the water.
她全身放松, 轻轻漂浮在水中。
1.1
- with obj. and adverbial cause (a buoyant object) to rest or move in such a way使（有浮力物体）漂浮, 浮动：
trees were felled and floated downstream.
树木伐倒后顺水漂流。
1.2
- be suspended freely in a liquid or gas悬浮于（液体, 气体）中：
fragments of chipped cartilage floated in the joint.
软骨碎片在关节中浮动。
2
- with adverbial of direction move or hover slowly and lightly in a liquid or the air; drift在（液体, 空气）中浮动, 飘动：
clouds floated across a brilliant blue sky
云朵在灿烂的蓝天上飘动
figurative 〈喻〉through the open window floated the sound of traffic.
车辆噪音从敞开的窗户传了进来。
2.1
float about/around
(of a rumour, idea, or substance) circulate（谣言, 想法, 物质）传播, 流传：the notion was floating around Capitol Hill.
那种看法在美国国会山四处流传。
2.2
- (of a sight or idea) come before the eyes or mind（景象, 想法）在眼前（或脑海中）浮现：
the advice his father had given him floated into his mind.
父亲的劝告浮现在他脑海中。
2.3
- move in a casual or leisurely way闲散随意地移动：
Araminta floated down the stairs.
阿拉明塔悠闲地下了楼梯。
2.4
- with obj. and adverbial of direction(in sport) make (the ball) travel lightly and effortlessly through the air（体育用语）使（球）轻松飞动, 使（球）飘起：
he floated the kick into the net.
他把球轻吊入球门。
3
- with obj. put forward (an idea) as a suggestion or test of reactions试探性提出（想法）。
3.1
- with obj. offer the shares of (a company) for sale on the stock market for the first time首次发行（公司）股票。
4
- (of a currency) fluctuate freely in value in accordance with supply and demand in the financial markets（货币价值）浮动：
a policy of letting the pound float.
让英镑浮动的政策。
4.1
- with obj. allow (a currency) to fluctuate in such a way使（货币）浮动。
1
- a thing that is buoyant in water, in particular浮动物, 尤指：
1.1
- a small object attached to a fishing line to indicate by moving when a fish bites（钓鱼线的）鱼漂, 浮子。
1.2
- a cork or buoy supporting the edge of a fishing net（渔网边的）浮子。
1.3
- a light object held for support by a person learning to swim（学游泳用的）浮板。
1.4
- a hollow or inflated organ enabling an organism (such as the Portuguese man-of-war) to float in the water（僧帽水母等生物体的）浮囊。
1.5
- a hollow structure fixed underneath an aircraft enabling it to take off and land on water（水上飞机）浮筒。
1.6
- a floating device on the surface of a liquid which forms part of a valve apparatus controlling flow in and out of the enclosing container, e.g. in a water cistern or a carburetor（蓄水池、汽化器等阀门、气门部件的）浮子。
2
- Brit. a small vehicle or cart, especially one powered by electricity〈英〉（尤指电动）小车, 轻型车。参见MILK FLOAT.
2.1
- a platform mounted on a lorry and carrying a display in a procession花车, 彩车, 展览车：
a carnival float.
狂欢节彩车。
3
- Brit. a sum of money used for change at the beginning of a period of selling in a shop or stall〈英〉（商店开市时）备用零钱。
3.1
- a small sum of money kept available for minor expenditure or petty cash备用零钱。
4
- a hand tool with a rectangular blade used for smoothing plaster灰泥镘刀。
5
- a soft drink with a scoop of ice cream floating in it浮有冰淇淋球的软饮料：
ice-cream floats.
浮有冰淇淋球的软饮料。
6
- (in critical path analysis) the period of time by which the duration of an activity may be extended without affecting the overall time for the process（关键路径分析用语）浮动期。
短语
float someone's boat
- informal appeal to or excite someone, especially sexually〈非正式〉迎合; 勾引, 色诱：
Kevin doesn't exactly float her boat.
凯文并没有勾引她。
词源
Old English flotian (verb), of Germanic origin and related to FLEET5, reinforced in Middle English by Old French floter, also from Germanic.