Floated Float Floating Fləʊt Gently Music Move Water

• a group of swans floated by.
• the smell of new bread floated up from the kitchen.
• beautiful music came floating out of the window.
• the boats were floating gently down the river.

float

Verb Forms

1. to move slowly on water or in the air
• A group of swans floated by.
• The smell of new bread floated up from the kitchen.
• Beautiful music came floating out of the window.
• The boats were floating gently down the river.
• Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the surface.
• People seem to float in and out of my life.

Extra Examples

• A few small clouds floated across the sky.
• Her voice seemed to float on the water as gently as a slight mist.
• In the dream my feet leave the ground and I start to float upwards.
• An idea suddenly floated into my mind.
2. to stay on or near the surface of a liquid and not sink
• Wood floats.
• Much of the bay is covered by floating sea ice.
• She relaxed, floating gently in the water.
• A plastic bag was floating on the water.

Extra Examples

• We tried to make a raft but it wouldn't float.
• Vast masses of frogspawn floated just beneath the surface.
3. to make something move on or near the surface of a liquid
• There wasn't enough water to float the ship.
• They float the logs down the river to the towns.
4. to walk or move in a smooth and easy way
• SYNONYM glide
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/glide_2
• She floated down the steps to greet us.
• The couple floated across the dance floor.
5. to suggest an idea or a plan for other people to consider
• They floated the idea of increased taxes on alcohol.
6. to sell shares in a company or business to the public for the first time
• The company was floated on the stock market in 2014.
• Shares were floated at 585p.
7. if a government floats its country’s money or allows it to float, it allows its value to change freely according to the value of the money of other countries
• The government decided to allow the peso to float freely.
8. to be what somebody likes
• You can listen to whatever kind of music floats your boat.
9. to feel very happy
• Most couples feel they are walking on air on their wedding day.

Word Origin

• Old English flotian (verb), of Germanic origin and related to fleet ‘move or pass quickly’, reinforced in Middle English by Old French floter, also from Germanic.