afloat

American  

[uh-floht] / əˈfloʊt /

adverb

1. floating or borne on the water; in a floating condition.

   The ship was set afloat.

2. on board a ship, boat, raft, etc.; at sea.

   cargo afloat and ashore.

3. covered with water; flooded; awash.

   The main deck was afloat.

4. moving without being guided or controlled; drifting.

5. passing from place to place; in circulation.

   A rumor is afloat.

6. free of major trouble, especially financially solvent.

   to keep a venture afloat.

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afloat British  

/ əˈfləʊt /

adjective

1. floating

2. aboard ship; at sea

3. covered with water; flooded

4. aimlessly drifting

   afloat in a sea of indecision

5. in circulation; afoot

   nasty rumours were afloat

6. free of debt; solvent

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Other Word Forms

• half-afloat adjective

Etymology

Origin of afloat

before 1000; Middle English, Old English on flote. See a- ¹, float

Example Sentences

For weeks, Baker—the architect of the $2.7 billion deal that put the two luxury retail heavyweights together just over a year ago—was scrambling to keep his creation afloat.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ayandeh offered the highest interest rates of any Iranian bank, attracting millions of depositors and borrowing heavily from the central bank, which printed money to keep the institution afloat, economists said.

From The Wall Street Journal

The champions were largely outplayed by their city rivals and Garcia kept them afloat in the derby clash against his former side before substitute Olmo curled home in the 86th minute.

From Barron's

To stay afloat while completing his third novel, Skipton also reviews books for a local paper and sends begging, and increasingly threatening, letters to a wealthy relative.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was a year that knocked me flat, tearing me apart from so many things that once anchored me, setting me afloat in a sea of guilt and despair and ultimate uncertainty.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adrift