buoy up
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To help someone stay happy and hopeful, or to keep prices or levels from falling.
Literal meaning: To keep something floating on water like a buoy.
Meanings
1 B2
idiomatic
neutral
To make someone feel more cheerful, confident, or optimistic.
"The unexpected good news buoyed up the whole team just when they needed it most."
Grammar: separable
2 C1
idiomatic
formal
To prevent prices, numbers, or levels from falling; to support them artificially or otherwise.
"Strong consumer demand helped buoy up retail sales throughout the winter quarter."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Used both for emotional support (buoying a person's spirits) and in economic/financial contexts (buoying prices or markets). More common in written or formal contexts than in casual speech.
Commonly used with
spirits confidence morale prices market economy
Forms
Base
buoy up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buoys up
he/she/it
Past simple
buoyed up
yesterday
Past participle
buoyed up
have + pp
-ing form
buoying up
continuous
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