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Goods lost by shipwreck, and floating on the sea; -- in distinction from jetsam or jetson. Blackstone.

Floating on the waves. [Obs.] Bacon.

A surface formed of floating threads.

A European plant (Hydrocharis Morsus-ranæ), floating on still water and propagating itself by runners. It has roundish leaves and small white flowers.

n the sky attending frosty weather and formed by reflection of sunlight from ice crystals floating in the air; the parhelic circle whose center is at the zenith.

To put into the form of bonds or stocks bearing regular interest; as, to fund the floating debt.

nging to the family Rallidae. They are remarkable for running rapidly over marshes and on floating plants. The purple gallinule of America is Ionornis Martinica, that of the Old World is Porphyrio porphyrio. The common European gallinule (Gallinula chloropus) is also called moor hen, water hen, water rail, moor coot, n…

A fine, filmy substance, like cobwebs, floating in the air, in calm, clear weather, especially in autumn. It is seen in stubble fields and on furze or low bushes, and is formed by small spiders.

e where the sick or wounded of an army cared for. Hospital ship, a vessel fitted up for a floating hospital. -- Hospital Sunday, a Sunday set apart for simultaneous contribution in churches to hospitals; as, the London Hospital Sunday.

To hang fluttering in the air, or on the wing; to remain in flight or floating about or over a place or object; to be suspended in the air above something. Great flights of birds are hovering about the bridge, and settling on it. Addison. A hovering mist came swimming o'er his sight. Dryden.

and frozen. -- Ice field, an extensive sheet of ice. -- Ice float, Ice floe, a sheet of floating ice similar to an ice field, but smaller. -- Ice foot, shore ice in Arctic regions; an ice belt. Kane. -- Ice house, a close-covered pit or building for storing ice. -- Ice machine (Physics), a machine for making ice a…

A large mass of ice, generally floating in the ocean.

eral allied genera, all of which have spurs on the wings. They are able to run about over floating water weeds by means of their very long, spreading toes. Called also surgeon bird.

A waiter. [Old Cant] Tatler. Floating kidney. See Wandering kidney, under Wandering. -- Kidney bean (Bot.), a sort of bean; -- so named from its shape. It is of the genus Phaseolus (P. vulgaris). See under Bean. -- Kidney ore (Min.), a variety of hematite or iron sesquioxide, occurring in compact kidney-shaped masses…

used in fishing to take the fish from the water after being hooked. -- Landing stage, a floating platform attached at one end to a wharf in such a manner as to rise and fall with the tide, and thus facilitate passage between the wharf and a vessel lying beside the stage. -- Landing waiter, a customhouse officer who…

intended to carry weight. [Written also ligger.] Ledger bait, fishing bait attached to a floating line fastened to the bank of a stream, pond, etc. Walton. J. H. Walsh. -- Ledger line. See Leger line, under 3d Leger, a. -- Ledger wall (Mining), the wall under a vein; the foot wall. Raymond.

Any one of various species of Lepas, a genus of pedunculated barnacles found attached to floating timber, bottoms of ships, Gulf weed, etc.; -- called also goose barnacle. See Barnacle.

mething else of equal bulk; relative lightness, especially as shown by rising through, or floating upon, a contiguous substance; buoyancy; -- opposed to gravity. He gave the form of levity to that which ascended; to that which descended, the form of gravity. Sir. W. Raleigh. This bubble by reason of its comparative lev…

ia majalis), having a raceme of nodding, fragrant, white flowers. -- Lily pad, the large floating leaf of the water lily. [U. S.] Lowell. -- Tiger lily (Bot.), Lilium tigrinum, the sepals of which are blotched with black. -- Turk's-cap lily (Bot.) Lilium Martagon, a red lily with recurved sepals; also, the similar A…

. -- Water line (Shipbuilding), the outline of a horizontal section of a vessel, as when floating in the water.