Definition of "buoy" []

• A float moored in water to mark a location, warn of danger, or indicate a navigational channel. (noun)
• A life buoy. (noun)
• To keep afloat or aloft: a glider buoyed by air currents. (verb-transitive)
• To maintain at a high level; support: "the persistent ... takeover speculation, which has buoyed up the shares of banks” ( Financial Times). (verb-transitive)
• To hearten or inspire; uplift: "buoyed up by the team spirit and the pride of the older generation back at home” ( Judith Martin). (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "A buoy is tossed over the rail but the captain refuses to hard down the helm and send a boat to rescue."
• "A lot of times, it's a two-loop swim, and the turn buoy is only 300 yards away."
• "The flag of the first buoy is scarlet and the ball is under the flag."