Word: jettison (verb)

Associations

"Jettison" means to throw something away or drop it, usually to get rid of weight or to be free from something unwanted.

• When a ship is overloaded, the crew might jettison cargo to avoid sinking. This means they throw some cargo into the sea.
• In a plane emergency, pilots may jettison fuel to lighten the aircraft.
• Sometimes people jettison old ideas or habits to improve their life, meaning they get rid of them. A synonym is "discard," but "jettison" often implies throwing something away quickly and usually from a moving vehicle or situation where weight matters.

Substitution

You can replace "jettison" with:

• discard – more general, means to throw away or get rid of.
• dump – informal, means to throw away carelessly.
• throw overboard – more specific, means to throw something off a ship or plane. Each word changes the tone or context slightly. "Jettison" is more formal and often used in technical or emergency contexts.

Deconstruction

The word "jettison" comes from the Middle English word "getison," from Old French "getaison," which comes from the Latin "iactare," meaning "to throw." The root idea is "to throw out." No prefix or suffix here, just the whole word evolved from the idea of throwing something off a ship or vehicle.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where you might need to jettison something important?
• How is jettison different from just throwing something away at home?
• Have you ever had to "jettison" an idea or plan in your life? What was it?