buoy

noun

/bɔɪ/

/ˈbuːi/, /bɔɪ/

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an object which floats on the sea or a river to mark the places where it is dangerous and where it is safe for boats to go see also lifebuoyTopics Transport by waterc2
Word OriginMiddle English: probably from Middle Dutch boye, boeie, from a Germanic base meaning ‘signal’. The verb is from Spanish boyar ‘to float’, from boya ‘buoy’.

buoy

verb

/bɔɪ/

/ˈbuːi/, /bɔɪ/

[usually passive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they buoy	/bɔɪ/ /ˈbuːi/, /bɔɪ/
he / she / it buoys	/bɔɪz/ /ˈbuːiz/, /bɔɪz/
past simple buoyed	/bɔɪd/ /ˈbuːid/, /bɔɪd/
past participle buoyed	/bɔɪd/ /ˈbuːid/, /bɔɪd/
-ing form buoying	/ˈbɔɪɪŋ/ /ˈbuːiɪŋ/, /ˈbɔɪɪŋ/

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buoy somebody (up) to make somebody feel cheerful or confident
- Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success.
- Knowing that all her friends were there buoyed up her spirits.
buoy somebody/something (up) to keep somebody/something floating on water
- The raft was buoyed (up) by empty petrol cans.
buoy something (up) to keep prices at a high or acceptable level
- Trading on Wall Street was buoyed in part by rising bond prices.

Word OriginMiddle English: probably from Middle Dutch boye, boeie, from a Germanic base meaning ‘signal’. The verb is from Spanish boyar ‘to float’, from boya ‘buoy’.