What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sway vs Float - What's the difference?

sway | float |

As nouns the difference between sway and float

is that sway is the act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon while float is a buoyant device used to support something in water or another liquid.

As verbs the difference between sway and float

is that sway is to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock while float is (lb) of an object or substance, to be supported by a liquid of greater density than the object so as that part of the object or substance remains above the surface.

sway

English

(wikipedia sway)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
  • A rocking or swinging motion.
  • The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
  • Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
  • I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
  • Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
  • Rule; dominion; control.
  • A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
  • The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed .
  • To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade .
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
  • To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
  • :
  • *(John Tillotson) (1630-1694)
  • *:Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
  • (lb) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
  • :
  • To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:The balance sways on our part.
  • To have weight or influence.
  • *(Richard Hooker) (1554-1600)
  • *:The example of sundry churchesdoth sway much.
  • To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.
  • See also

    * persuade

    float

    English

    (wikipedia float)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) Of an object or substance, to be supported by a liquid of greater density than the object so as that part of the object or substance remains above the surface.
  • The boat floated on the water.
    The oil floated on the vinegar.
  • (lb) To cause something to be suspended in a liquid of greater density; as, to float a boat.
  • (lb) To be capable of floating.
  • That boat doesn’t float .
    Oil floats on vinegar.
  • (lb) To move in a particular direction with the liquid in which one is floating
  • I’d love to just float downstream.
  • (lb) To drift or wander aimlessly.
  • I’m not sure where they went... they’re floating around here somewhere.
    Images from my childhood floated through my mind.
  • (lb) To drift gently through the air.
  • The balloon floated off into the distance.
  • (lb) To move in a fluid manner.
  • The dancer floated gracefully around the stage.
  • (of an idea or scheme) To be viable.
  • That’s a daft idea... it’ll never float .
  • (lb) To propose (an idea) for consideration.
  • I floated the idea of free ice-cream on Fridays, but no one was interested.
  • (lb) To automatically adjust a parameter as related parameters change.
  • (of currencies) To have an exchange value determined by the markets as opposed to by rule.
  • The yen floats against the dollar.
  • To allow (the exchange value of a currency) to be determined by the markets.
  • The government floated the pound in January.
    Increased pressure on Thailand’s currency, the baht, in 1997 led to a crisis that forced the government to float the currency.
  • To extend a short-term loan to.
  • Could you float me $50 until payday?
  • To issue or sell shares in a company (or units in a trust) to members of the public, followed by listing on a stock exchange.
  • * 2005 June 21, Dewi Cooke, (The Age) [http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/shoemaker-strides-for-world-domination/2005/06/20/1119250927926.html?from=moreStories],
  • He [Mario Moretti Polegato] floated the company on the Milan Stock Exchange last December and sold 29 per cent of its shares, mostly to American investors.
  • * 2007', Jonathan Reuvid, '''''Floating Your Company: The Essential Guide to Going Public .
  • * 2011 , Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Yearbook 2011: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security , footnote i, page 269,
  • As a result of this reverse acquisition, Hurlingham changed its name to Manroy plc and floated shares on the Alternative Investment Market in London.
  • (lb) To use a float (tool).
  • It is time to float this horse's teeth.
  • (lb) To perform a .
  • Derived terms

    * float someone's boat * whatever floats your boat

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A buoyant device used to support something in water or another liquid.
  • Attach the float and the weight to the fishing line, above the hook.
  • A mass of timber or boards fastened together, and conveyed down a stream by the current; a raft.
  • A float board.
  • A tool similar to a rasp, used in various trades.
  • A sort of trowel used for finishing concrete surfaces or smoothing plaster.
  • When pouring a new driveway, you can use a two-by-four as a float .
  • An elaborately decorated trailer or vehicle, intended for display in a parade or pageant.
  • That float covered in roses is very pretty.
  • (lb) A small vehicle used for local deliveries, especially in the term milk float.
  • * 1913 ,
  • As soon as the skies brightened and plum-blossom was out, Paul drove off in the milkman's heavy float up to Willey Farm.
  • (lb) Funds committed to be paid but not yet paid.
  • Our bank does a nightly sweep of accounts, to adjust the float so we stay within our reserves limit.
  • An offering of shares in a company (or units in a trust) to members of the public, normally followed by a listing on a stock exchange.
  • 2006', ''You don't actually need a broker to buy shares in a '''float when a company is about to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.'' — financial tips article, ''Buying shares in a float [http://www.fido.asic.gov.au/fido/fido.nsf/print/Buying+shares+in+a+float?opendocument]
  • (lb) The total amount of checks/cheques or other drafts written against a bank account but not yet cleared and charged against the account.
  • No sir, your current float is not taken into account, when assets are legally garnished.
  • (lb) Premiums taken in but not yet paid out.
  • We make a lot of interest from our nightly float .
  • (lb) A floating-point number.
  • That routine should not have used an int; it should be a float .
  • A soft beverage with a scoop of ice-cream floating in it.
  • It's true - I don't consider anything other than root-beer with vanilla ice-cream to be a "real" float .
  • A small sum of money put in a cashier's till at the start of business to enable change to be made.
  • (lb) A maneuver where a player calls on the flop or turn with a weak hand, with the intention of after a subsequent community card.
  • (lb) One of the loose ends of yarn on an unfinished work.
  • (lb) a car carrier or car transporter truck or truck-and-trailer combination
  • (lb) a lowboy trailer
  • (lb) A device sending a copious stream of water to the heated surface of a bulky object, such as an anvil or die.
  • (Knight)
  • (lb) The act of flowing; flux; flow.
  • (Francis Bacon)
  • A quantity of earth, eighteen feet square and one foot deep.
  • (Mortimer)
  • A polishing block used in marble working; a runner.
  • (Knight)
  • A coal cart.
  • (Simmonds)

    Synonyms

    * initial public offering

    Derived terms

    * floatplane