Also 8 boyancy. [f. BUOYANT: see -ANCY.] The quality of being buoyant.
1. Power of floating (on liquid or fluid); tendency to float. b. As an attribute of the liquid: Power of supporting a floating body (rare). c. Hydrostatics: Loss of weight due to immersion in a liquid; the vertical upward pressure of a liquid on an immersed or floating body, which is equal to the weight of displaced liquid; also of the lower layers of a liquid on those above.
1713. Derham, Phys.-Theol., 9. All the winged Tribes owe their Flight and Boyancy hereunto.
1765. Wilkinson, in Phil. Trans., LV. 97. The cork had not … lost any force of buoyancy.
1793. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 248. When the stone was got up to the surface of the water … becoming heavier by losing its buoyancy.
1831. Lardner, Hydrostat., v. 97. The support, whether partial or total, which a solid receives from a liquid … is expressed by the term buoyancy.
1868. W. S. O., trans. Ocean World, i. 19. The saltness of sea water increases its density, and at the same time its buoyancy.
2. fig. Elasticity of spirit, lightheartedness; capacity for recovering after depression.
1819. Blackw. Mag., Aug., 514/2. For impurities there might be some possibility of pardon, were they supposed to spring only from the reckless buoyancy of young blood and fiery passions.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., 516. There is neither fancy, nor brilliancy, nor buoyancy, about him.
1866. Dickens, Lett. (1880), II. 249. I have noticed … a decided change in my buoyancy and hopefulness.
1886. Morley, Crit. Misc., IV. 102. To the last he retained his extraordinary buoyancy.
3. Tendency to rise (in the price of stocks and shares), in the national revenue, etc.
1883. Manch. Exam., 14 Dec., 4/1. Considerable buoyancy was developed owing to a smart recovery on the Paris Bourse.
