5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Floating  \Float"ing\,  n. 
  The  process  of  rendering  oysters  and  scallops  plump  by 
  placing  them  in  fresh  or  brackish  water;  --  called  also 
  {fattening},  {plumping},  and  {laying  out}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Floating  \Float"ing\,  a. 
  1.  Buoyed  upon  or  in  a  fluid;  a,  the  floating  timbers  of  a 
  wreck;  floating  motes  in  the  air. 
 
  2.  Free  or  lose  from  the  usual  attachment;  as  the  floating 
  ribs  in  man  and  some  other  animals. 
 
  3.  Not  funded;  not  fixed,  invested,  or  determined;  as 
  floating  capital;  a  floating  debt. 
 
  Trade  was  at  an  end  Floating  capital  had  been 
  withdrawn  in  great  masses  from  the  island. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  {Floating  anchor}  (Naut.),  a  drag  or  sea  anchor;  drag  sail. 
 
 
  {Floating  battery}  (Mil.),  a  battery  erected  on  rafts  or  the 
  hulls  of  ships,  chiefly  for  the  defense  of  a  coast  or  the 
  bombardment  of  a  place 
 
  {Floating  bridge}. 
  a  A  bridge  consisting  of  rafts  or  timber,  with  a  floor 
  of  plank,  supported  wholly  by  the  water;  a  bateau 
  bridge.  See  {Bateau}. 
  b  (Mil.)  A  kind  of  double  bridge,  the  upper  one 
  projecting  beyond  the  lower  one  and  capable  of  being 
  moved  forward  by  pulleys;  --  used  for  carrying  troops 
  over  narrow  moats  in  attacking  the  outworks  of  a  fort. 
  c  A  kind  of  ferryboat  which  is  guided  and  impelled  by 
  means  of  chains  which  are  anchored  on  each  side  of  a 
  stream,  and  pass  over  wheels  on  the  vessel,  the  wheels 
  being  driven  by  stream  power. 
  d  The  landing  platform  of  a  ferry  dock. 
 
  {Floating  cartilage}  (Med.),  a  cartilage  which  moves  freely 
  in  the  cavity  of  a  joint,  and  often  interferes  with  the 
  functions  of  the  latter. 
 
  {Floating  dam}. 
  a  An  anchored  dam. 
  b  A  caisson  used  as  a  gate  for  a  dry  dock. 
 
  {Floating  derrick},  a  derrick  on  a  float  for  river  and  harbor 
  use  in  raising  vessels,  moving  stone  for  harbor 
  improvements,  etc 
 
  {Floating  dock}.  (Naut.)  See  under  {Dock}. 
 
  {Floating  harbor},  a  breakwater  of  cages  or  booms,  anchored 
  and  fastened  together,  and  used  as  a  protection  to  ships 
  riding  at  anchor  to  leeward.  --Knight. 
 
  {Floating  heart}  (Bot.),  a  small  aquatic  plant  ({Limnanthemum 
  lacunosum})  whose  heart-shaped  leaves  float  on  the  water 
  of  American  ponds. 
 
  {Floating  island},  a  dish  for  dessert,  consisting  of  custard 
  with  floating  masses  of  whipped  cream  or  white  of  eggs. 
 
  {Floating  kidney}.  (Med.)  See  {Wandering  kidney},  under 
  {Wandering}. 
 
  {Floating  light},  a  light  shown  at  the  masthead  of  a  vessel 
  moored  over  sunken  rocks,  shoals,  etc.,  to  warn  mariners 
  of  danger;  a  light-ship;  also  a  light  erected  on  a  buoy 
  or  floating  stage. 
 
  {Floating  liver}.  (Med.)  See  {Wandering  liver},  under 
  {Wandering}. 
 
  {Floating  pier},  a  landing  stage  or  pier  which  rises  and 
  falls  with  the  tide. 
 
  {Floating  ribs}  (Anat.),  the  lower  or  posterior  ribs  which 
  are  not  connected  with  the  others  in  front;  in  man  they 
  are  the  last  two  pairs. 
 
  {Floating  screed}  (Plastering),  a  strip  of  plastering  first 
  laid  on  to  serve  as  a  guide  for  the  thickness  of  the 
  coat. 
 
  {Floating  threads}  (Weaving),  threads  which  span  several 
  other  threads  without  being  interwoven  with  them  in  a 
  woven  fabric. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Floating  \Float"ing\,  n. 
  1.  (Weaving)  Floating  threads.  See  {Floating  threads},  above. 
 
  2.  The  second  coat  of  three-coat  plastering.  --Knight. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  floating 
  adj  1:  hanging  or  moving  freely  in  air;  "floating  thistledown"; 
  "floating  banners" 
  2:  continually  changing  especially  as  from  one  abode  or 
  occupation  to  another;  "a  drifting  double-dealer";  "the 
  floating  population";  "vagrant  hippies  of  the  sixties" 
  [syn:  {aimless},  {drifting},  {vagabond},  {vagrant}] 
  3:  inclined  to  move  or  be  moved  about  "a  floating  crap  game" 
  4:  (of  a  part  of  the  body)  not  firmly  connected;  movable  or  out 
  of  normal  position;  "floating  ribs  are  not  connected  with 
  the  sternum";  "a  floating  kidney"  [syn:  {floating(a)}] 
  5:  not  definitely  committed  to  a  party  or  policy;  "floating 
  voters"  [syn:  {floating(a)}] 
  6:  borne  up  by  or  suspended  in  a  liquid;  "the  ship  is  still 
  floating";  "floating  logs";  "floating  seaweed" 

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