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Glite Dictionary
🛟 A floating marker 💪 To support emotionally ⚓ To mark in water
to buoy

to buoy

1 5.0
To mark a place in water with a floating marker
  • verb
  • /bɔɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : señalizar con una boya
  • The crew decided to buoy the wreck site to notify passing boats of the danger.
  • buoy the anchor

Examples

  • The main line is buoyed at regular intervals by float lines connected to surface floats.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Set depth also changed between the late 1940s and early 1950s as the practice of buoying up the middle of each basket of gear with an extra float (June 1950) was abandoned.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The diver placed a buoy to mark the underwater cave for future exploration.

  • To improve visibility, they will buoy the entrance to the harbor with bright markers.

Phrasal Verbs

to buoy up
5.3

To make someone feel more cheerful and confident

to buoy up
5.0

Keep someone or something floating on water

Compounds

life buoy
  • UK
1 3.2

A floating ring used to save people who are drowning

bell buoy
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A floating marker with a bell that rings when it moves to warn boats

breeches buoy
  • Archaic
9.9

A ring buoy with short trousers used to move people from a ship to shore

can buoy
  • Specialized
8.4

A floating marker like a metal drum that shows a channel edge or danger in the water

conical buoy
7.1

A floating cone that helps boats know where to go

acoustic buoy
  • Specialized
7.7

A floating marker that makes sound to help ships find their way

gong buoy
  • Specialized
9.6

A floating marker with a bell that rings to guide ships

nun buoy
  • Specialized
9.9

A cone-shaped floating mark that shows safe channels or dangers in water

spar buoy
  • Specialized
8.8

A tall floating pole in the sea that marks locations or hazards

whistle buoy
  • Specialized
8.4

A floating marker that makes a loud sharp sound to guide ships

whistling buoy
  • Specialized
9.1

A floating marker that makes a whistling sound to warn ships of danger

How Loud

whistle buoy
  • Specialized
8.4
bell buoy
  • Specialized
1 7.0
to buoy
  • Specialized
1 5.0

Surface Forms

buoy infinitive
buoyed past
buoyed past participle
buoying present participle
buoys third person singular

Etymology

Buoy comes from Old French bouée, 'a float' used to mark places in water. So to buoy something is to put a floating mark there to show a position or a danger.