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Intermediate Dictionary        

bu·oy

buoy

 
 
pronunciation:
bu i [or] boi
parts of speech:
noun, verb
features:
Homophone Note
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a float attached by line to the bottom of a body of water to mark a location.
We swam out to the buoy and back.
similar words:
beacon, float, marker
definition 2: a float used to prevent someone from drowning.
They threw the buoy into the water and hoped the struggling woman could reach it.
similar words:
float, life jacket, life preserver
 
part of speech: verb
inflections: buoys, buoying, buoyed
definition: to cause to float (often followed by "up").
A piece of wood buoyed him up in the water.
similar words:
carry, float, support
Homophone Note
The words buoy and boy can sound alike but they have different meanings.