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A small boat; a skiff. [Obs.] A little skippet floating did appear. Spenser.

The motion of the center of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horozontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed which she would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backw…

Small floating pieces of ice, or masses of saturated snow. Kane.

y, a trough constructed over the bed of a stream, so that logs, lumber, or rubbish can be floated down to some convenient place of delivery.

kept Jonas in the fish's maw Till he was spouted up at Ninivee Chaucer. Next on his belly floats the mighty whale . . . He spouts the tide. Creech.

A platform, often floating, serving as a kind of wharf.

A flood gate by which water is accumulated, for floating a boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release. Knight.

The floating dust in flour mills caused by the operation or grinding. De Colange.

ner; directly; rightly; forthwith; immediately; as, the arrow went straight to the mark. "Floating straight." Shak. I know thy generous temper well; Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it, It straight takes fire, and mounts into a blaze. Addison. Everything was going on straight. W. Black.

anchor, Stream cable. (Naut.) See under Anchor, and Cable. -- Stream ice, blocks of ice floating in a mass together in some definite direction. -- Stream tin, particles or masses of tin ore found in alluvial ground; -- so called because a stream of water is the principal agent used in separating the ore from the san…

An ensign, flag, or pennant, which floats in the wind; specifically, a long, narrow, ribbonlike flag. Brave Rupert from afar appears, Whose waving streamers the glad general knows. Dryden.

A tangled mass of floating vegetal matter obstructing navigation. [Central Africa]

Floating above or on the surface. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. -- Su`per*flu"i*tance, n. [Obs.]

Swimming above; floating on the surface; as, oil supernatant on water. SUPERNATANT Su`per*na"tant, n. (Chem.)

The act of floating on the surface of a fluid. Sir T. Browne.

To be supported by water or other fluid; not to sink; to float; as, any substance will swim, whose specific gravity is less than that of the fluid in which it is immersed.

Of a most elegant thread. B. Jonson. Air thread, the fine white filaments which are seen floating in the air in summer, the production of spiders; gossamer. -- Thread and thrum, the good and bad together. [Obs.] Shak. -- Thread cell (Zoöl.), a lasso cell. See under Lasso. -- Thread herring (Zoöl.), the gizzard shad…

ing or consisting of three coats; -- applied to plastering which consists of pricking-up, floating, and a finishing coat; or, as called in the United States, a scratch coat, browning, and finishing coat.

To cause to float with the tide; to drive or carry with the tide or stream. They are tided down the stream. Feltham.

A three-square float (file) used by comb makers.