This week’s theme
Words having nautical origins

This week’s words
offing
jury-rig
slush fund
pinchgut
jettison


This week’s comments
AWADmail 766

Next week’s theme
Back-formations

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(JET-i-suhn, -zuhn)

MEANING:

verb tr.: To cast off something regarded as unwanted or burdensome.
noun: The act of discarding something.

ETYMOLOGY:

Originally, jettison was the act of throwing goods overboard to lighten a ship in distress. From Latin jactare (to throw), frequentative of jacere (to throw). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ye- (to throw), which also gave us jet, eject, project, reject, object, subject, adjective, joist, jactitation, subjacent, and jaculate. Earliest documented use: 1426.

USAGE:

“Disillusioned former supporters accused [Stephen Donnelly] of jettisoning his principles for a shot at high office.”
Colin Coyle; Social Media Savvy TD Will Need All of His Connecting Skills After Switching Sides; Sunday Times (London, UK); Feb 5, 2017.

See more usage examples of jettison in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: