jettison
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.
About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.1jet·ti·son
noun \ˈje-tə-sən, -zən\Definition of JETTISON
: a voluntary sacrifice of cargo to lighten a ship's load in time of distress
Examples of JETTISON
- <with his ship rapidly sinking, the captain ordered a last-ditch jettison of much of its cargo>
Origin of JETTISON
Middle English jetteson, from Anglo-French geteson, literally, action of throwing, from Latin jactation-, jactatio, from jactare — more at jet
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to JETTISON
- Synonyms
- discarding, disposition, dumping, disposal, junking, removal, riddance, scrapping, throwing away
2jettison
transitive verbDefinition of JETTISON
1
: to make jettison of
2
: to get rid of as superfluous or encumbering : omit or forgo as part of a plan or as the result of some other decision <must be prepared to jettison many romantic notions — Christopher Catling>
3
: to drop from an aircraft or spacecraft in flight
— jet·ti·son·able \-sə-nə-bəl, -zə-\ adjective
Examples of JETTISON
- The captain gave orders to jettison the cargo.
- They jettisoned the fuel and made an emergency landing.
- We should jettison these old computers and get new ones.
- They jettisoned plans for a vacation.
First Known Use of JETTISON
1848
Related to JETTISON
- Synonyms
- cashier, cast (off), chuck, deep-six, ditch, dump, eighty-six (or 86), exorcise (also exorcize), fling (off or away), discard, junk, lay by, lose, pitch, reject, scrap, shed, shuck (off), slough (off) also sluff (off), throw away, throw out, toss, unload
Learn More About JETTISON
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: jetto
Previous Word in the Dictionary: jet thrust
All Words Near: jettison
Previous Word in the Dictionary: jet thrust
All Words Near: jettison
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up jettison? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
