jettison

American  

[jet-uh-suhn, -zuhn] / ˈdʒɛt ə sən, -zən /

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).

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noun

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

2. jetsam.

jettison British  

/ ˈdʒɛtɪsən, -zən /

verb

1. to throw away; abandon

   to jettison old clothes

2. to throw overboard

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noun

1. another word for jetsam

Other Word Forms

• jettisonable adjective

Etymology

Origin of jettison

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

Example Sentences

What we found could help calm some nerves, and might even stop investors from making the mistake of jettisoning the big winners too early.

From Barron's

For one day a week, employees could jettison their suits and pantyhose and heels and wear… no one was quite sure at first, although Levi’s Dockers played a big role, at least for men.

From The Wall Street Journal

It is clear that the painter takes inspiration most from Boucher’s settings, rather than his figures, but that doesn’t mean that Ms. Yukhnovich has jettisoned representative elements.

From The Wall Street Journal

There’s a wicked irony in micromanaging your entire life on Earth only to croak and have your soul potentially jettisoned to some formless state of being, entirely unknown to mere mortals.

From Salon

The New York Times’ crossword is synonymous with its current editor, Will Shortz, who gave the puzzle a refresh in the 1990s, jettisoning academic jargon and obscurities in favor of layered puns and pop-culture references.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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