1935, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Mistress Pat, Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1937, p. 100, The world was afloat in primrose light, pale and exquisite.Lawrence, The White Peacock, London: Heinemann, Part 2, Chapter 2, p. 233, The larch-wood was afloat with clear, lyric green, ( figuratively ) Covered, overspread ( with or in something).Jody looked out of the window and saw two drowned biddies floating about with upturned bellies. 1938, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Yearling, New York: Scribner, Chapter 19, p. 233, The yard was afloat.Swalle, “Staffordshire,” it overflows and lays the meadows afloat in April, like another Nile 1695, Edmund Gibson (translator), Camden’s Britannia, London: A.Covered with water (bearing floating objects).2000, Zadie Smith, White Teeth, London: Hamish Hamilton, Chapter 7, p. 152, she roars down the street, dreads and feathers and cape afloat,.1971, Poul Anderson, The Broken Sword, New York: Ballantine Books, 1981, Chapter 4, p. 11, unbound silvery-gold tresses afloat beneath a jeweled coronet.

( of hair or clothing) Floating in the air flowing freely not tied, braided, etc.

1947, James Michener, Tales of the South Pacific, New York: Dial, 2014, “The Strike,” p. 315, Navy chow ashore is rarely as good as it is afloat, and for enlisted men it is usually much worse.

Cadell, Volume 2, Letter 23, p. 236, that trade may likewise employ many useful hands both ashore and afloat,

1788, Alexander Jardine, Letters from Barbary, France, Spain, Portugal, &c., London: T.

In a vessel at sea or on another body of water.

1881, Christina Rossetti, “De Profundis” in A Pageant and Other Poems, London: Macmillan, p. 60, Oh why is heaven built so far, / Oh why is earth set so remote? / I cannot reach the nearest star / That hangs afloat.

Herringman, Act II, p. 22, You have so little Brains, that a Penn’orth of Butter melted under ’um, would set ’um afloat:

1668, John Dryden, Sir Martin Mar-all, London: H.

( General American ) IPA (key): /əˈfloʊt/.Definitions and meaning of afloat afloat Etymology

Words with afloat