1 (also float) [C,U] (technical术语) the process of selling shares in a company to the public for the first time in order to obtain money （股票的）首次发行: plans for (a) flotation on the stock exchange 在证券交易所首次发行股票的计划

2 [U] the act of floating on or in water （在水上或水中）漂浮