buoy
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buoy
a floating signal; a life preserver
Not to be confused with:
boy – a male child
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
buoy
(bo͞o′ē, boi)n.
1. A float placed in water and usually moored, as to mark a location, enable retrieval of a sunken object, or record oceanographic data.
2. A life buoy.
tr.v. buoyed, buoy·ing, buoys
1. To keep afloat or aloft: a glider buoyed by air currents.
2.
a. To maintain at a high level; support: "the persistent ... takeover speculation, which has buoyed up the shares of banks" (Financial Times).
b. To hearten or inspire; uplift: "buoyed up by the team spirit and the pride of the older generation back at home" (Judith Martin).
3. To mark with or as if with a buoy.
[Middle English boie, from Old French boue, probably of Germanic origin; see bhā- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
buoy
(bɔɪ; US ˈbuːɪ)n
(Navigation) a distinctively shaped and coloured float, anchored to the bottom, for designating moorings, navigable channels, or obstructions in a body of water. See also life buoy
vb
1. (usually foll by: up) to prevent from sinking: the belt buoyed him up.
2. (usually foll by: up) to raise the spirits of; hearten
3. (Navigation) (tr) nautical to mark (a channel or obstruction) with a buoy or buoys
4. (intr) to rise to the surface
[C13: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch boeie, boeye; see beacon]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bu•oy
art at burgee
(ˈbu i, bɔɪ) n., v. -oyed, -oy•ing. n.
1. an anchored float used as a marker or as a mooring.
2. life buoy.
v.t. 3. to keep afloat; keep from sinking (often fol. by up).
4. to mark with buoys.
5. to sustain or encourage (often fol. by up): Her courage was buoyed by the doctor's assurances.
v.i. 6. to float or rise by reason of lightness.
[1425–75; late Middle English boye a float < Middle French *boie, boue(e) < Germanic]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
buoy
Past participle: buoyed
Gerund: buoying
| Imperative |
|---|
| buoy |
| buoy |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  buoy - bright-colored; a float attached by rope to the seabed to mark channels in a harbor or underwater hazardspoint of reference, reference point, reference - an indicator that orients you generally; "it is used as a reference for comparing the heating and the electrical energy involved" acoustic buoy - a buoy that can be heard (at night) spar buoy - a buoy resembling a vertical log |
| Verb | 1. | buoy - float on the surface of water |
| 2. | buoy - keep afloat; "The life vest buoyed him up" | |
| 3. | buoy - mark with a buoy mark - designate as if by a mark; "This sign marks the border" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
buoy
buoy someone up encourage, support, boost, cheer, sustain, hearten, cheer up, keep afloat, gee up They are buoyed up by a sense of hope.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
buoy
verb1. To keep from yielding or failing during stress or difficulty.Also used with up:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
الطافِيَـه: عَوّامه لأرشاد السفنعَوّامَة للإِرْشاد
bóje
bøje
poiju
plovak
bója
bauja, dufl
ブイ
부표
besilaikantis paviršiujegalintis išlaikytilaikymasis ore/vandens paviršiujelengvai atsigaunantisplaukiantis paviršiuje
boja
bója
bojaplovec
boj
ทุ่น
phao
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
buoy
(boi) , ((American) ˈbu:i) noun a floating anchored mark, acting as a guide, warning or mooring point for boats.
see also lifebuoy.
ˈbuoyancy noun the ability to float on water or in the air. the buoyancy of a balloon.
ˈbuoyant adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
buoy
→ عَوّامَة للإِرْشاد bóje bøje Boje σημαδούρα boya poiju bouée plovak boa ブイ 부표 boei bøye boja bóia буй boj ทุ่น şamandıra phao 浮标Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009