Word Study
buoy
CIDE DICTIONARY
buoy, n. [D. boei buoy, fetter, fr. OF. boie, buie, chain, fetter, F. bouée a buoy, from L. boia. “Boiae genus vinculorum tam ferreae quam ligneae.” Festus . So called because chained to its place.].
A float; esp. a floating object moored to the bottom, to mark a channel or to point out the position of something beneath the water, as an anchor, shoal, rock, etc. [1913 Webster]
buoy, v. t.
- To keep from sinking in a fluid, as in water or air; to keep afloat; -- with up. [1913 Webster]
- To support or sustain; to preserve from sinking into ruin or despondency. [1913 Webster]"Those old prejudices, which buoy up the ponderous mass of his nobility, wealth, and title." [1913 Webster]
- To fix buoys to; to mark by a buoy or by buoys; as, to buoy an anchor; to buoy or buoy off a channel. [1913 Webster]"Not one rock near the surface was discovered which was not buoyed by this floating weed." [1913 Webster]
buoy, v. i.
To float; to rise like a buoy. Pope. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
buoy, n. & v.
--n.
1 an anchored float serving as a navigation mark or to show reefs etc.
2 a lifebuoy.
--v.tr.
1 (usu. foll. by up) a keep afloat. b sustain the courage or spirits of (a person etc.); uplift, encourage.
2 (often foll. by out) mark with a buoy or buoys.
--n.
1 an anchored float serving as a navigation mark or to show reefs etc.
2 a lifebuoy.
--v.tr.
1 (usu. foll. by up) a keep afloat. b sustain the courage or spirits of (a person etc.); uplift, encourage.
2 (often foll. by out) mark with a buoy or buoys.
Etymology
ME prob. f. MDu. bo(e)ye, ult. f. L boia collar f. Gk boeiai ox-hides
THESAURUS
buoy
Carling float, Mae West, Roman candle, aid to navigation, alarm, amber light, balefire, balsa, balsa raft, beacon, beacon fire, bear up, bell, bell buoy, blinker, blue peter, bob, boom, breeches buoy, buoy up, caution light, cork, cork jacket, ejection capsule, ejection seat, ejector seat, elevate, flare, float, float high, fog bell, fog signal, fog whistle, foghorn, glance, go light, gong buoy, green light, hearten, heliograph, high sign, hold up, international alphabet flag, international numeral pennant, keep up, kick, leer, life belt, life buoy, life jacket, life net, life preserver, life raft, life ring, life vest, lifeboat, lifeline, lift, lollipop, marker beacon, nod, nudge, parachute, parachute flare, pilot flag, poke, police whistle, pontoon, quarantine flag, radio beacon, raft, raise, red flag, red light, ride high, rocket, rubber dinghy, safety belt, sailing aid, semaphore, semaphore flag, semaphore telegraph, sign, signal, signal beacon, signal bell, signal fire, signal flag, signal gong, signal gun, signal lamp, signal light, signal mast, signal post, signal rocket, signal shot, signal siren, signal tower, siren, spar buoy, stop light, support, surfboard, sustain, the nod, the wink, touch, traffic light, traffic signal, upbear, uphold, uplift, upraise, waft, watch fire, water wings, white flag, wigwag, wigwag flag, wink, yellow flagROGET THESAURUS
buoy
Elevation
VB heighten, elevate, raise, lift, erect, set up, stick up, perch up, perk up, tilt up, rear, hoist, heave, uplift, upraise, uprear, upbear, upcast, uphoist, upheave, buoy, weigh mount, give a lift, exalt, sublimate, place on a pedestal, set on a pedestal, escalate 102, take up, drag up, fish up, dredge, stand up, rise up, get up, jump up, spring to one's feet, hold oneself, hold one's head up, drawn oneself up to his full height.Levity
N levity, lightness, imponderability, buoyancy, volatility, feather, dust, mote, down, thistle, down, flue, cobweb, gossamer, straw, cork, bubble, balloon, float, buoy, ether, air, leaven, ferment, barm, yeast, lighter-than-air balloon, helium balloon, hydrogen balloon, hot air balloon, convection, thermal draft, thermal, light, subtile, airy, imponderous, imponderable, astatic, weightless, ethereal, sublimated, gossamery, suberose, suberous, uncompressed, volatile, buoyant, floating, portable, light as a feather, light as a thistle, light as air, lighter than air, rise like a balloon, float like a balloon.For further exploring for "buoy" in Webster Dictionary Online