can buoy

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noun

a cylindrical, unlighted buoy used as a channel marker.

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Compare nun buoy.

Origin of can buoy

First recorded in 1620–30

Words nearby can buoy

canary yellow, canasta, canaster, Canaveral, Canberra, can buoy, Canby, canc., cancan, cancel, cancel culture

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use can buoy in a sentence

So it's really a take-what-you-can-get kind of situation with him.
‘Scandal’ Review: Olivia Pope Has Lost Her Damn Mind|Kevin Fallon|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The shards of one can be used to cut someone (never mind the constant availability of soup-can tops).
Prisoners Get Cultural Fix with 8-Tracks and Bootleg Cassettes|Daniel Genis|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But no deal has been as bold as their newest: all-you-can-eat appetizers for the summer.
Video: We Took a Competitive Eater to TGI Fridays for Endless Appetizers—and They Ran Out|Brandy Zadrozny|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Just how dedicated is the mega-chain to its new all-you-can-eat summer promotion?
Video: We Took a Competitive Eater to TGI Fridays for Endless Appetizers—and They Ran Out|Brandy Zadrozny|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

However, limit yourself to one plate rather than adopting an all-you-can-eat mindset.
When Is It OK to Cheat? The Pros and Cons of Cheat Days|DailyBurn|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
From Bungay in Suffolk comes the news that a water-wagtail has built its nest in a milk-can.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 158, April 28, 1920|Various
The Nora lies becalmed not far from the Goodwin buoy, with her sails hanging idly on the yards.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
The buoy having been secured, an iron hook and chain of great strength were then attached to the ring in its head.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
“You see we require stronger tackle,” said the captain to Stanley, while the buoy was being slowly raised.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
He therefore gave the order to have the fresh buoy, with its chain and sinker, ready to let go.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for can buoy

can buoy

noun

nautical a buoy with a flat-topped cylindrical shape above water, marking the left side of a channel leading into a harbour: red in British waters but green (occasionally black) in US watersCompare nun buoy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012