DCHP-1 Online

float

• 1 n. Lumbering a length of buoyant wood forming part of the framework of a crib (def. 2) used in rafting oak and other timber. See picture at raft (def. 2).

  See also: crib (def. 2)  raft ((n.)) (def. 2)  

  • 1854  [Cribs] are formed by placing two round logs, called "floats," about twenty-four feet apart, and bringing the squared timber between them; across the whole, four or five rather large sized poles called "traverses" are laid and pinned at each end to the floats.
  • 1896  The floats on the sides were generally round sticks bored to take two and a half inch pins to secure the cross pieces (traverses). . . .
  • 1945  The materials for the wooden framework of the rafts, as they were built forty years ago, were very simple. They were: "floats," 42' long, 7" diameter at the top and flatted to 7" thickness at the butt; traverses, 32' long, 3" or 4" at the top, not flatted; "pickets," or pins, about 1 1/2" diameter.

• 2 n. Mining fragments of rock, especially mineral-bearing rock, separated from the original bedrock.

  • 1905  (1963)  Iron ore occurs merely as float in the wash of both the Bonnet Plume and Snake Rivers.
  • 1936  Though green at the business of hawking float, he walked over to the torn rocker, a shallow cradle-like contraption with galvanized lining and two handles, and studied it.
  • 1966  Attention was then transferred to . . . an area of know[n] float, some ten miles north west of the Vangords [lead-zinc] deposit.

• 3 n. a dwelling built on floats at the shore, and usually so built that it can be towed from one mooring to another.

  See also: floathouse  

  • 1953  In the hot afternoon he slipped down to the float, / Cooked a scheme up in secret, he'd be round with a boat. . . .

• 4 n. Esp. North a floatplane.

  • 1965  An Ontario flying service wanted a pilot with float (seaplane) experience.