jettison

[ jet-uh-suhn, -zuhn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to cast (goods) overboard in order to lighten a vessel or aircraft or to improve its stability in an emergency.
2. to throw off (something) as an obstacle or burden; discard.
3. Cards. to discard (an unwanted card or cards).

noun

1. the act of casting goods from a vessel or aircraft to lighten or stabilize it.
2. jetsam.

jettison

/ ˈdʒɛtɪsən; -zən /

verb

1. to throw away; abandon

   to jettison old clothes

2. to throw overboard

noun

1. See jetsam
   another word for jetsam

Other Words From

• jetti·son·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jettison¹

1375–1425; late Middle English jetteson < Anglo-French; Old French getaison ≪ Latin jactātiōn- (stem of jactātiō ) jactation

Word History and Origins

Origin of jettison¹

C15: from Old French getaison, ultimately from Latin jactātiō a tossing about; see jactation

Example Sentences

Jettison your lawyers as a source of prison-yard guidance, Abramoff said.

From The Daily Beast

But they also bequeathed to us a founding racism that we have found it almost impossible to jettison.

From The Daily Beast

The other companies to jettison Deen were more interested in their image than the bottom line.

From The Daily Beast

Nor does he believe it will force the company to jettison full-time workers.

From The Daily Beast

It will jettison the reactionary messages that alienated so many persuadable voters in 2012.

From The Daily Beast

"We'll jettison what freight proves an embarrassment," this astute individual advised.

From Project Gutenberg

No occasion to jettison any of our cargo yet, however useless it may be.

From Project Gutenberg

He unclamped his safety harness and stumbled to the jettison bin, holding a hand over his mouth.

From Project Gutenberg

And if the swell got too strong for her we had to jettison the top tiers of cotton balespitch em overboard, you see.

From Project Gutenberg

You could drink a fifth, jettison the bottle through the trash lock, and sober up before you were needed again.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abandon
• abdicate
• discard
• dump
• junk
• scrap
• shed
• unload