jettison
JET-i-sun
/ˈdʒet.ɪ.sən/
To throw or drop something from an aircraft or ship, especially to lighten weight during an emergency.
Implies deliberate emergency disposal of cargo, fuel, or equipment to improve control or safety.
The story behind the word. Originates from Anglo-French 'giteson', derived from Latin 'iactare' (to throw, root of 'eject' and 'project'). In medieval maritime law, 'jettison' referred to throwing heavy cargo overboard to prevent a storm-battered ship from sinking.
Word relationships
- discard: Discard is general throwing away, while jettison specifically denotes emergency dumping from a vessel or aircraft.
- dump: Dump lacks the formal maritime/aviation context of emergency weight reduction.
- retain: To keep or hold onto cargo or weight.
Commonly confused with
- Eject: Eject means expelling human occupants or pilots via ejection seats, while jettison usually applies to inanimate cargo or fuel.
Word family
- jettisoned (adjective): Discarded or thrown overboard.
Collocations
- jettison fuel
- jettison cargo
- jettison weight
- decision to jettison
Example sentences
- "The captain decided to jettison fuel over the ocean to reach maximum landing weight before an emergency touchdown." Aviation Emergency
- "Military jets are equipped with explosive bolts that allow pilots to jettison external fuel tanks instantly." System Design
Memory hook
JET-tison = throwing things out of a JET. Throw overboard from a jet.
When not to use
Do not use for everyday littering or casual disposal of trash.
Fun facts
- Fuel jettison systems can pump thousands of gallons of jet fuel out of wing nozzles in minutes, vaporizing it into air before it reaches ground.
Related words
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