floatation
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(usually in comb.) a drink with ICE CREAM floating in it: I'll have a coke float please. | a root-beer float 3 a large flat vehicle on which special shows, decorative scenes etc are drawn in processions → see also MILK FLOAT 4 a sum of money provided for giving change etc: The sales reps' in this company have floats for their travelling expenses.
floa·ta·tion /'fləʊ'teɪʃən//fləu'terʃən/ n [C;U] FLOTATION
float-ing /'fləʊtɪŋ/ adj 1 not fixed or settled in a particular place: London has a large floating population. 2 tech (of a bodily part) not properly connected or not in the usual place: a floating rib/kidney
'floating 'capital also circulating capital n [U] money available for carrying on a business, for example goods available for sale, the money the business has, and money owed to the business
'floating 'voter n someone who does not necessarily vote for the same political party at each election
flock¹ /flɒk‖flɑːk/ n [C+sing./pl. v] 1 a group of sheep, goats, or birds → compare HERD¹ 2 [+of] infml a crowd; large number of people: a flock of tourists 3 the group of people who regularly attend a church: The priest warned his flock against breaking God's law.
flock² v [I+adv/prep] to gather or move in large numbers: People are flocking to the cinema to see the new film.
flock³ n [U] 1 small pieces of wool, cotton etc used for filling CUSHIONS etc 2 soft material that forms decorative patterns on the surface of wallpaper, curtains etc
Flock·hart, Ca·lis·ta /'flɒkɑːt‖'flɑːkɑːrt, kə'lɪstə/ (1964–) a US actress who is famous for appearing in the popular television programme Ally McBeal. She is known for being extremely thin.
Flod·den /'flɒdn‖'flɑːdn/ also Floden 'Field a hillside in Northumberland in the north of England, where there was a battle between England and Scotland in 1513. The Scots were severely defeated and their king, James IV, was killed.
floe /fləʊ/ n a large mass of ice floating on the sea
flog /flɒg‖flɑːg/ v -gg- [T] 1 to beat severely with a whip or stick, especially as a punishment 2 BrE infml to sell: He makes a living flogging encyclopedias. 3 flog a dead horse infml to waste time or effort by returning to a subject or argument which has already been settled: You'll just be flogging a dead horse if you try to make her change her mind about it. 4 flog to death infml to spoil (a story, request, idea etc) by repeating too often
flog·ging /'flɒgɪŋ‖'flɑːgɪŋ/ n [C;U] (a) severe beating with a whip or stick, especially as punishment
flood¹ /flʌd/ also floods pl. —n 1 the covering with water of a place that is usually dry; a great overflow of water: The town was destroyed by the floods after the storm. | The water rose to flood level. | The river was in flood. (=overflowing) 2 a large quantity or flow: There was a flood of complaints about the bad language after the show. | She was in floods of tears.
flood² v 1 [I;T] to (cause to) be filled or covered with water: Every spring the river floods the valley. | Our street floods whenever we have rain. 2 [I] to overflow: After such a storm I'm surprised the river hasn't flooded. 3 [I+adv/prep;T] to go or arrive (at) in large numbers: Requests for information flooded in after the advertisement. | Settlers flooded from Europe to America in the 19th century. | After the show, complaints flooded the television company's offices. 4 [I+adv/prep;T] to cover or spread into completely; OVERFLOW: The room was flooded with light. | Apples flooded the market (=were for sale in large numbers) so their price went down.
flood sbdy. ⇔ out phr v [T usually pass.] to force to leave home because of floods: Most of the people who were flooded out during the storm have now returned home.
Flood, the 1 a story told in the Old Testament of the Bible about a great flood that covered the whole world. According to the story, God caused the Flood because he was angry with the people on Earth and wanted to punish them. He made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights, and most of the people and animals on Earth were killed. Only one man, Noah, and his family were saved. God told Noah to build an ARK (=a large boat) and to take two of every kind of animal on the ark with him. When the rain stopped and the water level began to go down, Noah sent out a DOVE to look for land, and the bird returned carrying an OLIVE branch to show that the land was reappearing. 2 before the Flood a very long time ago
flood·gate /ˈfldgeɪt// also floodgates pl. —n 1 a gate used for controlling the flow from a large body of water 2 open the floodgates to allow feelings to be suddenly expressed or action suddenly taken after being (forcibly) held back: The new law opened the floodgates as many more people suddenly applied for government aid.
flood·light¹ /ˈflʌdlaɪt/ n (a large electric light that produces) a very powerful and bright beam of light, used for lighting the outside of buildings, football grounds etc at night
floodlight² v -lighted or -lit /lɪt/ [T] to light by using floodlights: Buckingham Palace is floodlit at night.
'flood plain n the usually flat areas of land on either side of a river which are (regularly) covered with water when the level of the river rises: the flood plain of the Ganges
'flood tide n the flow of the TIDE inwards; rising tide → opposite EBB TIDE
floor¹ /flɔːr/ n 1 [C] the surface on which one stands indoors; surface nearest the ground: I must sweep the kitchen floor. | A dance floor is a level area specially prepared for dancing. → see LAND (USAGE) 2 [C] a level of a building; STOREY: Our office is on the sixth floor. | The third floor (=the people who live or work there) are having a Christmas party tomorrow. → see USAGE 3 [the (of)] the bottom of the sea, a CAVE etc: the ocean floor 4 [the] the part of a parliament, council building, public meeting place etc where those attending sit: The member for Brighton has the floor. (=has the right to speak, so others must not interrupt) | After the visiting speaker has finished, I shall ask for questions from the floor. (=from those listening) 5 go through the floor infml (of a price) to sink to a very low level 6 take the floor to start dancing at a party, in a dance hall etc → see also SHOP FLOOR, wipe the floor with (WIPE¹)
In American English the bottom floor of a building (at ground level) is called the first floor. In British English this is called the ground floor. The next level up is called the second floor in American English and the first floor in British English.
floor² v [T] 1 to provide with a floor: The room was floored with tiles. 2 infml to knock down: The soldier floored his attacker with one heavy blow. | (fig.) The news really floored me; I hadn't been expecting it at all. 3 infml to beat; defeat: I was floored by his argument and had to admit defeat.
floor·board /ˈflɔːbɔːd‖ˈflɔːrbɔːrd/ n a board in a wooden floor
'floor cloth n especially BrE a piece of cloth used for washing or cleaning floors
'floor covering n [C;U] something used to cover a floor, for example CARPET: We'll need some sort of floor covering.
floor·ing /ˈflɔːrɪŋ/ n [U] material used for making floors: wooden flooring
'floor lamp n AmE for STANDARD LAMP
'floor leader n a leader in the House of Representatives or Senate who is elected by the members of his political party. Floor leaders help arrange the timetable and work to pass bills that are important to their party.
'floor model || also 'floor sample AmE —n an electrical APPLIANCE for the home such as a washing machine or piece of furniture which has been on show in a shop and is often sold at a cheaper price
'floor show n a number of acts (such as dancing, singing etc) performed in a restaurant NIGHTCLUB etc
floor-walk-er /ˈflɔːˌwɔːkər‖ˈflɔːr-/ n especially AmE for SHOP-WALKER
floo·zy, -zie, -sie /ˈfluːzi/ n old-fash derog slang a girl or woman who is, or appears to be, sexually immoral
flop¹ /flɒp‖flɑːp/ v -pp- [I] 1 [+adv/prep] to move or fall in a loose, heavy, or awkward way: She flopped down exhausted in an armchair. 2 infml (of a plan, performance etc) to fail; be unsuccessful: The new play flopped on Broadway.
flop² n 1 [S] the movement or noise of flopping: He fell with