Jettison
verb
Pronunciation
\JET-uh-sun\
Definition
1 - to throw (goods)
overboard to lighten a ship or aircraft in distress
2 - discard
Examples
As the boat began to take on water, the pirates
argued over whether they should jettison some of the heavy, stolen loot.
"… [Wayne Pathman, chair of the Miami Beach
Chamber of Commerce] says banks have not yet jettisoned the 30-year mortgage,
but 'it's out there,' and he expects them to 'start looking at how they give
mortgages and protect their collateral' as sea levels rise." — Nina
Burleigh, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2016
Did You Know?
Jettison comes from
the Anglo-French noun geteson, meaning "action of throwing," and is
ultimately from the Latin verb jactare, meaning "to throw." The noun
jettison ("a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time
of distress") entered English in the 15th century; the verb has been with
us since the 19th century. The noun is also the source of the word jetsam
("jettisoned goods"), which is often paired with flotsam ("floating
wreckage"). These days you don't have to be on a sinking ship to jettison
something. In addition to literally "throwing overboard," jettison
means simply "to get rid of." You might jettison some old magazines
that are cluttering your house, or you might make a plan but jettison it at the
last minute.
Quiz
What word is derived from Latin jactare and
refers to the tossing to or fro of the body or to the jerking or twitching of
its parts?
Merriam-Webster
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