Jettison
/ˈdʒɛtɪsən/
verbnounC2
Definition
Jettison is the action of throwing goods, cargo, or objects away from a ship, airplane, or vehicle, usually in an emergency to reduce weight or avoid danger. It can also mean to remove or discard something that is no longer needed or wanted, often quickly or forcefully.
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See It in Action
To throw goods or cargo from a vehicle or ship to reduce weight or avoid danger
- •The crew had to jettison some cargo to keep the ship afloat.
- •The pilot jettisoned fuel before landing in an emergency.
- •During the storm, the captain ordered the crew to jettison heavy supplies.
To get rid of something unwanted or unnecessary quickly
- •The company jettisoned old policies that no longer worked.
- •He jettisoned his bad habits to improve his health.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "jettison" like "throw away," but for big or important things, often in an emergency or to save something else
- ✓Picture a pilot dropping heavy boxes from a plane to make it lighter so it can fly safely
- ✓It's the feeling when you quickly decide to get rid of old things to avoid problems or danger
- ✓Sounds like "jet" + "son" → imagine a fast jet throwing its "son" (cargo) out to be safe
- ✓Think of stories where ships throw cargo overboard during a storm to stop sinking
- ✓NOT like "throw away" (everyday garbage) — jettison is usually urgent and serious, often to save lives or important things
- ✓NOT like "discard" (calm, planned) — jettison is often sudden and forced by situation
- ✓NOT like "drop" (just let go) — jettison means actively throwing out to reduce weight or danger
Try Other Words
- •Discard: to get rid of something no longer needed (Use when the removal is planned and calm)
- •Dump: to throw away or drop something (Use when the action is careless or informal)
- •Drop: to let something fall (Use when the action is less active or less urgent)
- •Throw away: to put something in the trash (Use for everyday, less serious removal)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: Possibly from Old French "geteson" or Italian "gettare" meaning "to throw"
- •Etymology: From Middle English, from Old French, related to Latin "iactare" meaning "to throw"
- •Historical development: Originally used for throwing goods from ships in emergencies; now also used metaphorically
- •Modern usage: Used in shipping, aviation, and business contexts to mean throwing out or removing something quickly to avoid danger or problems
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you had to "jettison" something important to solve a problem? What was it and why?
•How is "jettison" different from just "throwing away" things in your daily life?
Fill in the blanks
1.The pilot had to jettison ___ in order to reduce the plane’s weight before landing safely.
2.When the ship was sinking, the crew quickly jettisoned ___ to stay afloat.
3.The company decided to jettison ___ that were no longer useful to improve efficiency.
4.Jettison is different from just throwing away because it usually happens in ___ situations.
5.To jettison cargo means to actively ___ it from a vehicle or ship.
6.If you jettison old ideas, you ___ them to focus on new ones.
7.The captain ordered the crew to jettison supplies ___ the storm became worse.