Nautical. a distinctively shaped and marked float, sometimes carrying a signal or signals, anchored to mark a channel, anchorage, navigational hazard, etc., or to provide a mooring place away from the shore.
a life buoy.
verb (used with object)
to keep afloat or support by or as if by a life buoy; keep from sinking (often followed by up): The life jacket buoyed her up until help arrived.
Nautical. to mark with a buoy or buoys.
to sustain or encourage (often followed by up): Her courage was buoyed by the doctor's assurances.
verb (used without object)
to float or rise by reason of lightness.
Origin of buoy
1425–75; late Middle English boye a float <Middle French *boie, boue(e) <Germanic; akin to beacon
Onboard a computer on the buoy out at sea, an automated detection algorithm harnessing the power of artificial intelligence identifies nearby vocalizing blue, humpback, and fin whales in near real-time.
Whale ‘roadkill’ is on the rise off California. A new detection system could help.|Erik Olsen|September 29, 2020|Popular Science
Results are sent from the buoy via satellite to researchers who confirm the sounds, and match them to visual sightings from scientists and whale-watching boats in the area.
Whale ‘roadkill’ is on the rise off California. A new detection system could help.|Erik Olsen|September 29, 2020|Popular Science
And he will buoy hopes among Democrats that Virginia is reliably purple, if not blue, in the 2016 presidential election.
How Virginia Democrats Are Winning on Gun Safety|Eleanor Clift|October 30, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They gave me a jolt of encouragement that is going to buoy me for the rest of my writing life.
Karen Russell: How I Write|Noah Charney|February 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I suspect this will buoy liberal spirits, but anger the right and befuddle the independents.
Daily Beast Contributors Weigh In on Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address||January 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He tried to outsmart the instructors by resting the back of his head on a buoy in the pool.
Inside Seal Team Six by Don Mann Excerpt|Don Mann|December 4, 2011|DAILY BEAST
When Joe steered them into a buoy and all seemed lost, Kennedy inspired him to keep going and eventually win the race.
10 Touching Tributes from the Kennedy Services|The Daily Beast Video|August 29, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He knew better than to buoy up false hopes, for he had seen too much of the terrible side of war.
Air Service Boys in the Big Battle|Charles Amory Beach
See everything ready for slipping from the buoy at nine o'clock.
Yule Logs|Various
He had soon marked down the buoy and was regretting that it would be only a matter of twenty minutes before we must land.
Margarita's Soul|Ingraham Lovell
As each boat reached the buoy where it was to locate its mine, the men would toss their oars as a signal that they were ready.
The Battleship Boys at Sea|Frank Gee Patchin
With the buoy for a guide, Spike had no difficulty in finding the spot where the schooner lay.
Jack Tier or The Florida Reef|James Fenimore Cooper
British Dictionary definitions for buoy
buoy
/ (bɔɪ, USˈbuːɪ) /
noun
a distinctively shaped and coloured float, anchored to the bottom, for designating moorings, navigable channels, or obstructions in a body of waterSee also life buoy
verb
(tr usually foll by up) to prevent from sinkingthe belt buoyed him up
(tr usually foll by up) to raise the spirits of; hearten
(tr)nauticalto mark (a channel or obstruction) with a buoy or buoys
(intr)to rise to the surface
Word Origin for buoy
C13: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Dutch boeie, boeye; see beacon